"Finish Off" Siddaramaiah like Tipu Sultan: Karnataka Minister CN Ashwath Narayan

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

Bengaluru, Feb 16, 2023: Karnataka minister CN Ashwath Narayan’s appeal to "finish off" former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of the opposition Congress like 18th Century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan has triggered a fresh controversy as politics in the state heats up ahead of elections later this year.

 

Addressing a public gathering recently in Mandya, Higher Education Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said, "Do you want Tipu [Sultan] or [Hindutva ideologue VD] Savarkar? Where should we send this Tipu Sultan? What did Nanje Gowda do? You should finish him (Siddaramaiah) off the same way."

Amid a tug-of-war for votes in Karnataka over the Muslim ruler, right-wing groups have claimed that Tipu Sultan did not die fighting the British, but was killed by two Vokkaliga chieftains Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda - a theory disputed by some historians.

Reacting to the statement, the Congress unit in Karnataka has filed a police complaint against Mr Narayan. They have also filed a complaint against state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, who said those who revere Tipu Sultan should be "driven out" of Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah has accused Mr Narayan of trying to "instigate" people to kill him and urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to immediately sack the minister.

"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," the Congress veteran said on Thursday.

In a series of tweets, the former Chief Minister said that since no action had been taken against the minister, it showed that Mr Bommai, Home minister Araga Jnanendra and their "incompetent cabinet is sleeping and is in agreement with Ashwath Narayan".

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

Mr Narayan said his statement was being misinterpreted and in case Siddaramaiah was "hurt", he would "express regret". He claimed that by "finishing off", he meant defeating the former Chief Minister electorally and not causing any physical harm.

"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 a narahanthaka (mass murderer)," the minister said.

"I have never tried to divide 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.

Rejecting Mr Narayan’s clarification, Siddaramaiah told reporters in Hubballi, "Narayan has no business to continue as a Minister, I request the Governor to dismiss him from the cabinet."