Do to Siddaramaiah what was done to Tipu, says BJP minister; Congress deems it a call for murder

With Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah dubbing it a call for murder, Ashwath Narayan on Thursday, 16 February, was compelled to express regret for his statements.

“Else, Siddaramaiah, our Tipu Sultan, will come (back to power). Do you want Tipu or Savarkar? (Crowd says “Savarkar”.) So where should you send Tipu Sultan? (Crowd says, “To the grave.”) What did Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda do to Tipu? You should do that to Siddaramaiah, too,” Ashwath Narayan was seen saying in the video.

The reference Ashwath Narayan made to “Uri Gowda” and “Nanje Gowda” is from a new controversial play by Addanda Cariappa titled Tippu Nijakanasugalu, which claims that Tipu Sultan was killed by two Vokkaliga men.

Historians have objected to the claim, deeming it false and reiterating that Tipu Sultan died fighting the British.

The author of the play has not been able to provide any historical record for his claim despite deeming his play a “stage adaptation of history”.

Meanwhile, the BJP has been consistently attempting to promote the contents of the controversial play as part of its anti-Tipu Sultan tirade.

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Siddaramaiah responds

Seizing the opportunity, the Congress went all out against Ashwath Narayan, deeming his speech a call to assassinate Siddaramaiah.

The former chief minister himself, at a public meeting, called out the BJP minister.

“Is this minister a human or monster? He says Siddaramaiah should be treated like Tipu was. Will you allow them to do that?” Siddaramaiah asked the crowds at the Praja Dhwani Samavesha in Bagalkot on Wednesday.

While BJP leaders have been making repeated statements that the upcoming election is between “Tipu and Savarkar”, Siddaramaiah took the “love” route to counter the hate.

“I will honour Tipu Sultan as well as Sevalal. I respect Kittur Rani Chennamma, Sangolli Rayanna, and also Basavanna. It was I who had ordered Basavanna’s portraits to be put up in every government office. Should I learn lessons from them (BJP)? I am humane. I love Hindus, love Muslims, love Christians, love Sikhs, love Buddhists, and love all of them. I also love the Valmiki community,” Siddaramaiah told the gathering, eliciting a rousing cheer.

On Thursday, he took to Twitter to throw an open challenge to Ashwath Naray, asking him to stop instigating people and “get a gun”.

Higher Education Minister @drashwathcn has appealed people to kill me like how Tipu was killed.

Aswath Narayan, Why are you trying to instigate people? Get the gun yourself.

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 16, 2023

Political slugfest

Several other Congress leaders and citizens also expressed outrage over Ashwath Narayan’s call for violence.

With the public sentiment growing against him and the party, the higher education minister was compelled to attempt to clarify his remarks and express regret.

Even as he said he regretted his statements, Ashwath Narayan deemed that his words were “taken out of context” and that he only meant it as a “political barb in a healthy democracy”.

ಪ್ರಧಾನಿಯವರನ್ನು ನರ ಹಂತಕ ಎನ್ನುವುದು, ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಮನೆ ಹಾಳಾಗ ಎನ್ನುವುದು @siddaramaiah ಅವರ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದು.

ಆದರೆ, ಈ ಬಾರಿಯ ಚುನಾವಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಸೋಲಿಸಬೇಕು ಎನ್ನುವ ಅರ್ಥದಲ್ಲಷ್ಟೇ ನಾನು ಆ ಮಾತನ್ನಾಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಅದರಿಂದ ಅವರಿಗೆ ನೋವುಂಟಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ ವಿಷಾದಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

3/3

— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) February 16, 2023

A host of Congress leaders demanded action against Ashwath Narayan, while others pointed to dropping levels of political discourse in the poll-bound state.

The intellectually illiterate Edu Minister, Ashwath Narayan & BJP President Nalin Kateel’s remarks on @siddaramaiah ji & Tipu Sultan reflect frustration of imminent defeat of BJP.

It proves their mental bankruptcy.

We pray to God to give them & BJP peace of mind & sanity!

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 15, 2023

The matter was also discussed in the ongoing Assembly session on Thursday, with Congress leaders demanding that Ashwath Narayan be dropped from the Cabinet.

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