Belagavi (Karnataka) Dec 16 – Congress MLA Prasad Abayya created a political storm when he proposed on the floor of the Karnataka Assembly that the Mysuru airport be renamed after Tipu Sultan.
“I propose the naming of Mysuru Airport to Tipu Sultan Airport,” Abbayya said during a discussion on changing airport names.
The suggestion came in the wake of the Congress government in Karnataka’s plans to rename Belagavi Airport to Kittur Rani Chennamma Airport.
Abayya further said that the Congress has proposed renaming Mysuru airport along with other airports, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Industries Minister will be sending recommendations in this regard to the union government.
BJP MLAs vehemently opposed Abayya’s proposal on the floor of the House, stating that the Congress is indulging in appeasement politics.
“It is not Tipu Sultan, but the Wadiyar family which shaped the Mysuru city. It’s unreasonable to rename Mysuru Airport as Tipu Sultan Airport. Tipu was involved in violence and the Congress party is just playing appeasement politics. This is wrong,” BJP MLA Dheeraj Muniraju told a section of media.
The previous BJP government had also banned Tipu Jayanti celebrations, which was the right decision, but the present Congress government is raking up Tipu’s name for political gains, he said.
In June, violent protests also were witnessed over social media posts on Tipu Sultan and Aurangzeb by Hindu organisations.
