Tipu Sultan water supply remark sparks political row
'The stone still stands at the KRS gate with a Persian inscription dated 1794, found during the dam's construction in 1911,' Mahadevappa said, suggesting that Tipu Sultan may have envisaged an irrigation project more than a century before the KRS dam was built under Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.
His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from right-wing groups, particularly the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. State spokesperson Mohan Gowda called the minister's claims 'laughable,' saying they amounted to historical distortion. 'It is shameful for a responsible minister to mislead the public. He must apologise immediately,' Gowda said in a statement.
The group also challenged Mahadevappa's comments portraying Tipu Sultan as a religiously tolerant ruler. Citing alleged historical incidents—including the destruction of temples in Kodagu and Srirangapatna, forced conversions, and language imposition—the Samiti accused Tipu of being a religious bigot.
The controversy has revived longstanding debates in Karnataka over the legacy of Tipu Sultan, a historical figure viewed by some as a valiant freedom fighter and by others as a despotic ruler. While political parties in the state have often been divided over his portrayal in textbooks and commemorations, Mahadevappa's latest remarks have once again brought the issue to the forefront of public discourse. The minister is yet to respond to demands for an apology.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
BJP slams Congress over poll rigging allegations, Tipu-KRS claims in Karnataka
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) flayed the Congress for its allegations of 'vote theft' and claims that the foundation stone for the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) in Karnataka was laid by Tipu Sultan. Addressing media persons in Mysuru on August 7, BJP Mysuru district president and former MLA L. Nagendra and senior party functionary M.A. Mohan accused Congress of spreading misinformation, distorting history, and attempting to divert public attention from its failures in governance. Responding to the claims by Congress spokesperson M. Lakshman that about 1.45 lakh votes that ideally should have gone to the Congress, was 'diverted' to the BJP, Mr. Nagendra said such statements are without basis, and are misleading. 'Mr. Lakshman should realise that he got far more votes in this parliamentary election than in any previous contest where he was repeatedly defeated. If votes were truly stolen, how did he manage to lead in the N.R. Assembly constituency? Why no complaints there?'' The BJP accused the Congress of playing a fraud on voters by trying to bribe them, and yet was defeated. Mr. Nagendra said the Lok Sabha elections were free and fair, and people voted for BJP candidate Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar given his calibre and the contribution of the Wadiyars of Mysuru to Karnataka. 'People have made their choice. Creating confusion now is irresponsible,' he added. On Mr. Lakshman's allegation of 'missing votes', Mr. Mohan said, 'Even Congress workers don't see him as a deserving candidate. Let him introspect instead of blaming EVMs or the BJP, and also answer how the Congress won 136 seats in the 2023 Assembly elections,' said Mr. Mohan. The BJP described the allegations as a diversionary tactic adopted by the Congress to mislead people and draw their attention away from administrative collapse in Karnataka. The Congress has raised the prices of essential commodities while local body elections have not been conducted, as the ruling party is 'reluctant' to face voters, said Mr. Nagendra and Mr. Mohan. What about contribution of Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara kings? Ridiculing the Congress narrative that Tipu Sultan laid the foundation for the KRS dam, Mr. Mohan said the Srirangapatna fort existed before Tipu and Hyder Ali. 'If left unchallenged, the Congress will credit construction of Vani Vilas Sagar dam in Chitradurga — which was built by the Wadiyars — to Tipu Sultan,' he added. Mr. Mohan questioned the 'selective glorification' of Tipu Sultan by Congress. 'Other dynasties too have made tremendous contribution to Karnataka culture, including the Chalukyas, Hoysalas, and Vijayanagara kings. But the Congress only talks of Tipu Sultan,' he said while accusing the ruling party of distorting history for vote bank politics.
India.com
2 days ago
- India.com
Class 8 NCERT Book Skips Tipu Sultan, Anglo-Mysore Wars; Centre Explains Decision
The exclusion of Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the Anglo-Mysore wars from the updated NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook has sparked debate in Parliament. The central government clarified that individual states have the freedom to add content related to regional figures and historical events to their school syllabus. According to media reports, Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said, 'Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the majority of schools being under the jurisdiction of the State Governments, the respective State Government may adopt or adapt NCERT textbooks or develop their own textbooks based on the National Curriculum Framework. The states have flexibility to provide more coverage about regional personalities and events in their textbooks." Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee raised the question, asking whether the new Class 8 textbook leaves out references to Tipu Sultan, Haidar Ali, and the Anglo-Mysore wars of the 1700s in the chapter on India's colonial history, and sought reasons for their exclusion. NEP 2020 Policy In a written response, Minister Jayant Chaudhary stated that the updated Class 8 Social Science textbook (Part 1) was created based on the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023. 'The new textbook comprises four themes: India and the World: Land and the People; Tapestry of the Past; Governance and Democracy; Economic Life Around Us," he added further. Pedagogical approaches in textbooks Jayant Chaudhary said, 'Personalities featured in these themes have been included contextually and in accordance with curricular objectives. The textbook introduces new pedagogical approaches, emphasizes refined classroom practices, and presents a focused syllabus. These textbooks encourage students to explore more through experiential learning, undertake fieldwork, and focus on evidence-based understanding. The approach adopted for the Middle Stage (Grades 6 to 8) is to provide only a broad survey of Indian civilization from prehistoric times all the way to Independence.' The revised textbook, released last month, includes a section on early resistance movements against British colonial rule before the 1857 revolt. It highlights events like the Sannyasi-Fakir rebellion, the Kol uprising, the Santhal rebellion, and several peasant revolts from the 1800s. However, the new edition does not mention the four Anglo-Mysore wars or the resistance led by Tipu Sultan and Haidar Ali against the East India Company — topics that were previously included in the chapter on the expansion of British rule in India.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Hans India
MyVoice: Views of our readers 7th Aug 2025
K'taka CM must shun pro-Muslim bias This refers to the editorial 'One-upmanship of the bizarre kind in Karnataka'. It has become a trend of sorts in Karnataka, especially by the ruling Congress government to perpetually keep alive the legacy of Tipu Sultan, including by irrationally crediting Tipu as the builder of Kannambadi Dam. Tipu Jayanthi came into controversy, promoted by the Congress government that was vehemently opposed by the level-headed citizens of Karnataka for Tipu's anti-Hindu ways that the government attempted to catapult him to the status of 'India's freedom fighter' having fought the British. It is important that the Siddaramiah government desists from the overt Muslim appeasement to the consternation of Hindus in the state. This excessive pro-Muslim pampering mentality on part of the Congress will cost it dearly in its greed for power. K R Parvathy, Mysuru Flood management is the need of the hour Every year during the monsoon season, several states in India face disasters like floods. Recently, a devastating flood in Uttarakhand caused widespread destruction. In these circumstances, a comprehensive and forward-looking flood management system is extremely necessary for the country, where the frequency and intensity of floods have been increasing by the year. On one hand, unregulated urban development, obstruction in the natural flow of rivers, and blocked drainage systems make floods more destructive. On the other hand, the lack of early warning systems and protective infrastructure puts people's lives at serious risk. Hence, flood management must include preparedness before the disaster, relief efforts during and after the flood, and long-term rehabilitation measures. To achieve this, it is essential for institutions like IMD, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), ISRO's satellite services, and modern survey technologies to provide quick and accurate forecasts. Additionally, it is crucial to deep-clean riverbeds and remove encroachments around riverbanks. Public awareness is also important. The time has come for us to approach floods with a scientific mindset. Dr Jitesh Mori, Kutch Onus on GHMC and HYDRAA engineers Nature's fury has been causing massive damages and claiming many lives for decades together. Same goes with heavy rains, which wreak havoc and bring normal life to a standstill. Our experienced engineering professionals in GHMC and HYDRAA must use the latest technology to clear all underground drainage lines and manholes that are blocked or leaking, using detectors and sensors. Like done by blood banks and organ donation camps, the engineers must create many open water storage tanks and canals to collect rainwater, which can subsequently flow into rivers. Surficial repairs will be a waste of money. We need permanent solutions. Officials from HYDRAA and the GHMC should rely on the latest infrastructure and make life easy and safe for the citizens of the twin cities. G Murali Mohan Rao, Secunderabad-11 Proper planning can check manmade disasters The visuals of flash floods causing a near-total destruction of a village, Dharali, and loss of scores of human lives in Uttarakhand are heart-breaking. The rescue operations by various governmental agencies are laudable. Now it's time to dwell deep into the root causes of such disasters, which are happening regularly in the Himalayan region. The eco-sensitive zone must be kept away from so-called development with unplanned constructions. The quantity of destruction may be due to sprouting of unplanned constructions. There should be proper planning to mitigate manmade disasters both in frequency and severity. Dr DVG Sankara Rao, Vizianagaram-535003
