BJP and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti have opposed it this move by the SP. Keeping in view the rising tensions, BMC decided to postpone the decision of naming the garden citing that the beautification and repair work of the garden was not yet completed.
A row erupted between political parties after the Samajwadi Partyin Maharashtra proposed that the BMC name a garden in the Govandi area of Mumbai after Tipu Sultan.
While speaking to reporters, Govandi’s Samajwadi Party corporator Rukhsana Siddiqui said, “I have put forward the proposal in front of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to name a garden in the Govandi area of Mumbai after Tipu Sultan.”
According to the proposal, in January 2021, Rukhsana Siddique, a corporator from the Samajwadi Party, had written a letter to the Markets and Garden Committee to name the garden after Tipu Sultan. The suggestion was accepted and sent to the committee for its approval.
“Those who are opposing the move do not understand history properly. Tipu Sultan was among the first few rulers in India who opposed and fought a battle against the British East India Company. There were encroachments in the garden and we managed to clear it and now it has been revamped for the people of Govandi. Naming the garden after a great king will inspire people who are into anti-social activities and change their lives,” Siddique said.
She added, “Who are they to oppose? When this garden was encroached upon and was in a bad shape, where were they?”
Hours after this news, BJP and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti have opposed it this move by the SP. Keeping in view the rising tensions, BMC decided to postpone the decision of naming the garden citing that the beautification and repair work of the garden was not yet completed.
A team of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti protesting against the name Tipu Sultan met Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar. After the meeting, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti spokesperson Dr Uday Dhuri said that “We oppose renaming a garden of Mumbai after Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan has a history of oppressing the Hindus.”
“Tipu Sultan fought with the British not for the country but to save his kingdom. He converted Hindus to other religions at the tip of his sword. He destroyed more than a thousand temples in South India. I believe that BMC should not pass the proposal in the name of such a cruel Sultan. If this is passed, then other gardens will also be proposed to be named after tyrannical Mughal rulers like Akbar, Babur which can have further consequences”, Dhuri said.
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti members meet mayor over the naming of the garden after Tipu Sultan.
He further said, “Today, they are naming a garden after Tipu Sultan, tomorrow some monument may be rechristened after some cruel Mughal king who destroyed our country. The decision will hurt the sentiments of Hindus. The garden should be named after our great kings like Shivaji Maharaj who treated all religions equally.”
BJP MP Manoj Kotak also questioned Shiv Sena’s Hindutva for naming a garden after Tipu Sultan and recalled the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road flyover naming incident. “Shiv Sena has supported this proposal to name a garden in Govandi area after Tipu Sultan. It seems that Shiv Sena has turned away from Hindutva. There is no relation between Shiv Sena and Hindutva. Shiv Sena’s helplessness is clearly visible,” said Kotak.
Rukhsana Siddiqui, the corporator of the Govandi area and a Samajwadi Party leader said that Tipu Sultan is called the Lion of Mysore. He fought against the British for the country from a young age. “Is his fight for the country not valuable, questioned Siddiqui?” adding that some people link every issue with Hindus-Muslims for electoral politics.
Citing the rules, she said that he is the local corporator and it is her right to name the garden being built in the area. “Those who are opposing the name of Tipu Sultan do not understand the history. The name of Tipu Sultan will inspire the local people,” she said.
Rukhsana said, “In the midst of this controversy, yesterday I got the notice of Mumbai Police that you are working to incite the riots. I had replied to police by saying that 80 percent of the people of Muslim community live in Govandi area, so I will name it for them.”
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What about naming it “Sushant Garden Bombay” ?
God bless India. As history reveals this has to happen Hindus are divided no voice. Future is unknown.