After Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa cancelled the controversial state-sponsored celebration of Tipu Jayanti, activists of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti want him to rename the Tipu Express. The issue became a topic of interest on Twitter with #RenameTippuExpress trending on the platform on Wednesday.
Hindu Janajagriti Samiti is affiliated with Sanatan Sanstha, the organisation linked with the murders of rationalists-intellectuals Gauri Lankesh, Narendra Dhabolkar, and MM Kalburgi.
The activists led by Mohan Gowda, the state convenor of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, had even met the CM regarding this on August 14. They want the train running between Bengaluru and Mysuru be renamed after erstwhile emperor Krishnaraja Wodeyar or iconic engineer Sir M Visvesvaraya instead.
#RenameTippuExpress
Support the campaign !
Tippu Express (12613) running between Bengaluru and Mysuru must be renamed after great personalities like Krishnaraja Wodeyar and Sir M Visvesvaraya. @ippatel@gary_agghttps://t.co/6leFiMwbN8 pic.twitter.com/VnVsytPheY— Vishwanath Kulkarni (@vishwanathkul) August 28, 2019
Renaming the train would be a tribute to #Wodeyar and #Visvesvaraya, who had contributed in spreading irrigation and electricity networks in the state.#RenameTippuExpress pic.twitter.com/BkYAbxMrL9
— माधव विर्डीकर - Madhav Virdiker (@madhav_virdiker) August 28, 2019
Tipu Sultan was a invader a cruel ruler.He forced people for accepting Islam.#RenameTippuExpress #WednesdayWisdom#WednesdayThoughts#WednesdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/m74F917ydK
— Harshad Dhamale (@iDivineArjuna) August 28, 2019
Tipu Sultan one of the most intolerant, cruel & fanatic Muslim ruler who wanted to subjugate & convert its population to Islamic faith by force killing thousands of Hindus and demolition of temples.
— Geetika Swami (@SwamiGeetika) August 28, 2019
Why #TipuSulta needs to be glorified? #RenameTippuExpress pic.twitter.com/eveMawj4yx
'Tipu was not a freedom fighter, but a monarch who fought the opponents to safeguard his interests' - Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee.
— Ramesh Shinde (@Ramesh_hjs) August 28, 2019
BJP govt cancelled Tippu birthday celebrations..
Now Plz rename Tippu Express. @ShobhaBJP@AnantkumarH@PiyushGoyal#RenameTippuExpress pic.twitter.com/it9h1rVon4
Controversy surrounding Tipu
Former CM Siddaramiah was the first CM to make the tradition of commemorating Tipu Jayanti a formal state celebration, under the Department of Kannada and Culture.
Since then it had faced opposition from members of BJP and other allied organisations, who say Tipu Sultan was an anti-Hindu despot who broke temples. However, there are groups in Karnataka that remember him as the one who fought the British and as a first freedom
Every year, in the days leading up to Tipu Jayanti, the BJP, RSS and other groups ran campaigns alleging that Tipu Sultan had persecuted Kodavas and Christians in Mangalore (now Mangaluru). However, the Congress government led by then CM Siddaramaiah had refused to cancel the the celebration.
Read: Why is BJP against Tipu Sultan, and was this always the case?