Dropping of K'taka Higher Education Minister demanded

Bangalore, Sep 20 (UNI) Leaders of various Muslim organisations and rights activists today demanded that Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy drop Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy from the Cabinet for his remarks against Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile ruler of Mysore.

Addressing a joint press conference here, the leaders warned that an agitation would be launched throughout the State if the Chief Minister failed to concede their demand.

Mr Shankaramurthy, speaking at a function here yesterday, had allegedly termed Tipu Sultan an anti-Kannadiga, contending that the ruler had changed the language of the Mysore court and the State coins from Kannada to Persian. There was no need to include a chapter on him in the history textbooks, he added.

The leaders have convened a meeting of various organisations on September 22 to chalk out the future course of action to bring pressure on Mr Shankaramurthy to step down, if the Chief Minister failed to remove him from the Cabinet.

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