Get a gun yourself: Siddaramaiah retors after Ashwath Narayan urges people to finish off him

Amid a tug-of-war in Karnataka over Tipu versus Savarkar, BJP minister Dr C Ashwath Narayan appealed to people to "finish off" Karnataka's "present-day Tipu Sultan" Siddaramaiah the same way the Mysore ruler in the 18th Century was killed has triggered a fresh controversy in Karnataka ahead of elections due this year.

The BJP leader's comment comes just a day after state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel said Tipu's descendants should be driven away into the forests.

"Tipu's son Siddaramaiah will come.... Do you want Tipu or Savarkar? Where should we send Tipu Sultan? What did Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda do? In the same way, he should be knocked out and sent off," Narayan had said in Mandya.

A section of people believe that Tipu did not die fighting the British, but was killed by two Vokkaliga chieftains Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, which has been contradicted by some historians.

A visibly upset Siddaramaiah accused Ashwath Narayan of trying to 'instigate' people to kill him as he took exception to the latter's statement that he should be "knocked out and sent off" like the 18th-century ruler of erstwhile Mysuru Kingdom, Tipu Sultan.

He demanded Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to immediately sack Narayan from the cabinet and arrest him.

"Higher Education Minister Ashwath Narayan has appealed to people to kill me the way Tipu was killed. Ashwath Narayan, Why are you trying to instigate people? Get the gun yourself," Siddaramaiah said.

Asking why no action has been taken against Narayana, Siddaramaiah in a series of tweets said this shows that Bommai, Home minister Araga Jnanendra and their "incompetent cabinet is sleeping and are in agreement with Ashwath Narayan".

"Has Gujarat BJP culture crept into Karnataka BJP as well? Kannadigas will never let Karnataka to become like Gujarat," he said while seeking to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain silent even now just as he was in 2002 (Gujarat riots).

He urged Bommai to immediately sack Narayan from the cabinet and arrest Ashwath Narayan.
However, Ashwath Narayana sought to clear the air saying his statement was not personally directed at Siddaramaiah and in case the Congress legislature party leader is hurt, he will express regret.

He also clarified that he only meant defeating electorally and not causing any physical harm, as being misinterpreted.

Further, Narayan said attempts are being made to present his statement by misinterpreting it. "People will not accept such things. He (Siddaramaiah) is the one who compared the Chief Minister to a puppy, called state BJP President a joker, Prime Minister Modi as narahanthaka (mass murderer)... I have never tried to divide the society like him in the name of religion and caste. I only meant defeating him in the election through votes and not personal comment or causing any harm to him physically," he added.