Mahadevappa defends proposal to name Mysuru airport after Tipu

NT Correspondent | NT

Mysuru: Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa on Monday defended his party colleague’s proposal to name Mysuru airport after 18th century monarch Tipu Sultan.

Congress MLA from Hubballi-Dharwad East Prasad Abbayya had made the proposal in the Assembly on the concluding day of the winter session at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.

The suggestion had sparked a sharp response from BJP MLAs. It is to be noted that there is also a proposal to name the Mysuru airport after Krishnaraja Wodeyar, also a king of Mysuru.

“There is no opposition to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s name being suggested but why are they casting aspersions over Tipu’s name?” Mahdaveppa asked, adding that Abbayya had the constitutionally right to freedom of expression to make the recommendation.

The minister also pointed out that Tipu was an indigenous king who fought the colonial British.

He added that the monarch was also responsible for the Devadasi tradition that negatively affected lower caste women, land reforms and the sericulture industry.

Many in the Congress, the state’s Muslims and Kannada nationalists regard Tipu as a freedom fighter who fought British colonial rule. BJP and their Hindutva compatriots on the other hand claim that the sultan was anti-Hindu and committed excesses against the community during periods of military aggression in regions such as Kodagu district.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had made Tipu Jayanti (November 10) an official State government celebration during his first term as CM.

However, when the BJP assumed power in 2019 with BS Yediyurappa at the helm, they removed Tipu Jayanti from the list of official celebrations.

Siddaramaiah and his Cabinet have since chosen to not reinstate or even acknowledge Tipu Jayanti due to fears of a Hindutva backlash.

The Assembly recently passed a resolution stating that the Hubballi Airport be named after Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna, Belagavi Airport after Kittur Rani Chennamma, Shivamogga Airport after Rashtrakavi Dr KV Puttappa (Kuvempu) and Vijayapura airport after Sri Jagajyothi Basaveshwara.