Several Congress leaders have come out in support of former minister Tanveer Sait’s plan to instal a 100-foot statue of Tipu Sultan in Srirangapatna.
“Why can’t Tipu Sultan’s statue be installed? Doesn’t he deserve it?,” leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said.
Congress campaign committee chairperson M B Patil said there was nothing wrong in Sait’s plan. “Tipu has left a rich legacy. Nothing wrong if someone wants to build statues of such historical figures,” he said. Sait had announced that he would get a 100-foot statue of Tipu Sultan installed at Srirangapatna, while speaking at a Kannada Rajyotsava event in Mysuru.
However, another senior leader G Parameshwara said that the Congress can back Sait’s proposal only after examining the context in which he made such a statement. “As of now, it is only the opinion of an individual,” he said.
Sait had said that though Islam strictly prohibits idolatry, he would still insist on a statue of Tipu to tell the 'truth' to future generations.