The state government is likely to drop lessons on Tipu Sultan in school and college textbooks, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Wednesday. He also reiterated that the government will not allow Tipu Jayanti celebrations.
Speaking to reporters at an interaction here, Yediyurappa was responding to a question on the government’s stand with regard to celebration of Tipu Jayanti.
“101% we will not allow such things to happen. We will withdraw everything,” he said. Further, when it came to lessons on Tipu in school books, he said the government would review it.
He clarified his stand speaking to television reporters on the sidelines of his interaction: “We will drop Tipu Jayanti. We will also drop lessons on Tipu in textbooks,” he emphasised.
Recently, BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan had written to the government seeking removal of lessons on Tipu in school and college textbooks.
Following this, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar had sought a report from the Textbook Society.
In July this year, a Cabinet decision was also taken to drop Tipu Jayanti celebrations, based on an application by BJP MLA K G Bopaiah. Tipu Jayanti is celebrated in November every year.
In 2015, the Siddaramaiah government initiated the event, which has come under criticism from BJP leaders ever since it was announced.
The chief minister’s statements has drawn much ire from the opposition parties. Congress leader Siddaramaiah tweeted: “Only a dead government can make statements like these. This is an attention-diversion tactic. First provide flood relief and then talk about Savarkar and Tipu.”
KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters: “Only an ignorant person can talk like this. We can discuss in favour or against Tipu Sultan. But saying that all references will be removed from textbooks, indicates that a person has not studied history. I am disappointed that the CM spoke like this. Is Yediyurappa a historian?” He further remarked that the BJP was under an assumption that they were in a dictatorial society as they expected everyone to toe their line. This was an attention-diversion tactic as the government failed to respond adequately to floods in the state, he added.
The BJP backed the CM saying: “By ending public celebrations of Tipu Jayanti, the CM has restored dignity of Kannadigas. As the next step, textbooks must be rewritten to portray real Tipu to our children. They should be made aware of the tyrant’s cruelty against Hindus and his anti-Kannada rule.”