“Tipu Sultan was martyred fighting the British; he did not write love letters like Savarkar”: Asaduddin Owaisi

Statement by Asaduddin Owaisi sparks outrage

Hyderabad (Telangana) – “Tipu Sultan was martyred in 1799. He sacrificed his life while fighting the British. Sitting in prison, he did not write six mercy petitions to the British like your Veer Savarkar, saying, “I will do whatever you ask,” and seek forgiveness. Tipu Sultan fought with a sword in hand to free the country from the British and was martyred”, said Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), at an event in Hyderabad. He made this statement in the context of a controversy over the frame of Tipu Sultan in a municipal office in Malegaon.

MP Owaisi further said,

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam wrote in his book Wings of Fire that “the missile and rocket technology India possesses today is the fulfillment of Tipu’s dreams.” Is that false? Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his journal Young India that “Tipu Sultan is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.” (Why does Owaisi not say that it was this very mindset of Gandhi that eventually led to the Partition of India? Why does he not mention the historical accounts claiming that Tipu carried out mass conversions of one lakh Hindus in a single day? – Editor)

Criticising the demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Owaisi noted that the Justice Kapoor Commission had described Savarkar as part of the conspiracy in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. (However, the court had acquitted Savarkar in that case — that is the historical fact! – Editor)

Editorial Perspectives

• Tipu Sultan was killed while fighting the British to protect his own kingdom. He was not fighting to defend India — why doesn’t Owaisi tell this?
• By repeatedly referring to the alleged mercy petitions of Swatantryaveer Savarkar to demean him, does Owaisi even understand what statesmanship means? The statements of Owaisi reflect the extent of his intellectual capacity.