Tipu would have enjoyed status of Shivaji if he was a Hindu: Girish Karnad

Bengaluru: Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad on Tuesday said 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan would have enjoyed the same status as of Maratha king Chhatrapathi Shivaji, if he was a Hindu and not a Muslim.

In another remark that stoked a controversy, Karnad said it would have been "apt" had the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli near here been named after Tipu Sultan rather than Kempegowda, a feudatory ruler under the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire which founded Bengaluru in 1537.

The remarks by the noted Kannada playwright and actor came at a state government organised function to mark the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan held amid tight security at the state Secretariat in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The statewide celebrations are being boycotted by BJP and protested by several outfits who see the ruler of the erstwhile Mysore kindgom as a "religious bigot" and "anti-Kannadiga." The protests led to violence at Madikeri in Kodagu district claiming one life.

"I feel that if Tipu Sultan was a Hindu and not Muslim he would have attained the position in Karnataka that Shivaji Maharaj enjoys in Maharashtra," Karnad said.

Maintaining that Tipu is deprived of such a status owing to his religious persuasion, he said, "Because what has happened is today our scholars and politicians look at one's religion and caste first...."

"Injustice has happened to Tipu Sultan because of this type of evaluation..." he added.

Taking potshots at those calling Tipu Sultan "anti- Kannada and anti-Hindu", Karnad said, "Today, when we are celebrating this day as Deepawali and Tipu Sultan day, we can also celebrate it as Bihar day."

His Bihar day remark was an apparent jibe at BJP, which was routed in the Assembly polls. Karnad has always made known his ideological opposition to BJP.

Expressing similar opinion to that of Karnad while recounting the contributions of Tipu Sultan to the people of his kingdom, Siddaramaiah said "...If he was born as Hindu he would have got similar respect in Karnataka and the entire country, that Shivaji enjoys."