'Do not distort history to glorify Tipu Sultan': BJP's Vijayendra slams Siddaramaiah, Mahadevappa over KRS dam remarks

Responding to Mahadevappa’s recent claim that Tipu Sultan had laid the foundation for the KRS dam, the BJP MLA criticised what he called an 'attempt to rewrite well-documented history'.

Bengaluru: BJP Karnataka president B Y Vijayendra on Monday accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa of "distorting history and disrespecting the legacy" of the Mysore royal family, particularly Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, in a dispute over the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam.

Responding to Mahadevappa’s recent claim that Tipu Sultan had laid the foundation for the KRS dam, the BJP MLA took to X to criticise what he called an "attempt to rewrite well-documented history".

“From the beginning, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has shown contempt towards the royal family. Just recently, MLC Yathindra stated that his father (Siddaramaiah) was greater than Nalwadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar. Now, Minister Mahadevappa has insulted the legacy and sacrifice behind the construction of the Kannambadi dam by crediting Tipu Sultan,” Vijayendra said in the post.

He emphasised that the KRS dam, also known as Kannambadi Katte, was a vision realised through the perseverance and sacrifice of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, and backed by the Mysore royal family.

Vijayendra noted that the project was conceived in 1908, officially commenced in 1911, and completed in 1932 after overcoming several hurdles under British rule, with historic documents chronicling each step of the process.

Citing the financial hardships faced during its construction, he recalled how Nalwadi’s mother, Vanivilasa Sannidhana, and his wife, Krishnavilasa Sannidhana, sold their personal jewellery to fund the project, prioritising public welfare over royal wealth.

“The story of their sacrifice is remembered even today in every household of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom,” he wrote.

Vijayendra also pointed to the crucial role of Sir M Visvesvaraya and many other dignitaries in realising the dam project and stressed that the contribution of Nalwadi was so profound that Mahatma Gandhi referred to him as a ‘Rajarshi’.

Daring Mahadevappa to produce evidence of Tipu Sultan’s involvement in the KRS project, Vijayendra reminded that Tipu died in 1799, while the dam was planned more than a century later in 1908.

“Do not distort history to glorify Tipu and pander to vote-bank politics. Respect the legacy of the Mysore Wadiyars, especially Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, who gave world-class administration to this land,” he said.

“The people of Karnataka are aware that the glorification of Tipu is a deliberate political strategy aimed at consolidating Muslim votes,” Vijayendra added.

At an event at Srirangapatna in Mandya district on Sunday, Mahadevappa said, "Tipu Sultan was the first who laid the foundation stone (of the dam) but nobody has the courage to say this. B R Ambedkar has said that those who don't know history cannot create history." According to the Social Welfare Minister, Sultan had eradicated Devadasi system, pioneered land reforms and introduced sericulture in India for the first time.