Chase Tipu followers out: BJP state chief Kateel fires fresh salvo

After huge controversy over fighting Karnataka assembly elections on Tipu Sultan versus Savarkar, BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel fired a fresh salvo appealing to people to chase Tipu's descendants out.

Addressing BJP supporters in the panchayat town of Yelaburga of Koppal district today, Kateel said, "decedents of Tipu Sultan should not stay here, people who sing Lord Ram's bhajan should stay here."

"We are devotees of Lord Ram and Hanuman. We are not Tipu's descendants, we sent his descendants back. So I ask the people of Yelaburga, do you worship Hanuman or sing Tipu's bhajans? Will you chase away people who sing Tipu's bhajans?", he asked.

"So, think if this state requires Tipu's descendants or Lord Ram's and Hanuman's devotees? I challenge on the land of Hanuman - people who love Tipu should not stay here, people who sing Lord Ram's bhajans and celebrate Lord Hanuman should stay here," he added.

Kateel also attacked Congress leader Siddaramaiah by calling him a "broker" who was previously striking deals with the JDS and now with Congress to become the CM face for the upcoming assembly elections.

Nalin Kumar Kateel, a firebrand BJP leader has been active in politics for several years. His life as a politician has been mired in several controversies.

In 2021, Kateel kicked up saying that Hindus in Dakshina Kannada district were living in fear due to the actions of a minority community.

The remarks were met with criticism by several political leaders and organisations.

During the COVID wave, Kateel had downplayed the severity of the pandemic and said that it was not as dangerous as other diseases.

After advising party cadres to focus on 'love jihad' than development, Kateel said that assembly elections will be fought between the ideologies of Savarkar and Tipu.

"Karnataka assembly elections due later this year will not be fought between Congress and BJP, but between the ideologies of Savarkar and Tipu," Kateel said during his public address in Shivamogga.

Tipu controversy in Karnataka

The BJP government in 2019 had scrapped the annual 'Tipu Jayanti' (birth anniversary celebrations) that was being organised by the administration across the state since 2015 (under Siddaramaiah-led Congress regime).

Tipu was a ruler of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysuru and was considered an implacable enemy of the British East India Company. He was killed in May 1799 while defending his fort at Srirangapatna against the British forces. While some in the state claim that Tipu Sultan was a freedom fighter, a large number say that he was nothing but a religious bigot and deserves no place in history.

History records that the Kodavas and Tipu Sultan have had a bitter rivalry always. Tipu wanted to capture Kodagu as he felt he could use it as a gateway to Mangalore which has a port.

Tipu once managed to capture Kodagu on one occasion and is said to have uttered the words, "if you ambush my men, I will honour you all with Islam." The Kodavas did not take this lying down and beat Tipu and drove him back to Mysore.

Tipu by now realized that his war was going nowhere and beating the Kodavas was not easy. He decided to offer his hand of friendship. The Kodavas made a grave error in trusting Tipu.

The Kodavas were in fact happy to offer their hand of friendship as the battle against him was being won, but at a huge cost and the warriors were tired. The Kodavas are said to have welcomed Tipu.

However, they were caught completely off guard when Tipu's men launched an attack against the Kodavas who were unarmed. He took many as prisoners. Several thousand Kodavas were captured and taken to Srirangapatana where it is believed they were forcibly converted.

Stories of conversion and torture have been narrated by the Kodavas who were in the captivity of Tipu. Various historians have given different figures about the number of Kodavas who were converted.

Figures range between 60,000 to 85,000. In the year 1784, it was Tipu who destroyed the Milagres Church in Mangalore. The Church, which was built in the year 1680, is a landmark in Mangalore.

Tipu had imprisoned over 50,000 Catholics on the suspicion that they were spies of the British. Many contend that there is widespread hatred for Tipu Sultan across the state which includes a large number of Catholics as well.