Ahead of Karnataka polls, Pak praises Tipu Sultan

Ahead of the Assembly-polls in Karnataka, Pakistan on Friday took to Twitter to pay homage to 18th century ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, on his death anniversary.

“Tipu Sultan was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He has been lionised as a first freedom fighter because of his steadfast resistance against the British colonialism. On the occasion of #TipuSultan's 219th death anniversary. Let's have a look at some aspects of his life,” the Pakistan government tweeted using its verified official account on Twitter, pid_gov.

Tipu was killed on May 4, 1799, while defending his fort in Srirangapatna near Mysore against the army of the British Raj.

“Revisiting an important & influential historical figure, Tiger of Mysore — Tipu Sultan on his death anniversary. Right from his early years, he was trained in the art of warfare & had a fascination for learning,” read another tweet from the official account of Pakistan government.

Pakistan government's tweet lauding Tipu raised eyebrows in India, as it came just about a week before polling in Karnataka, where the legacy of the “Tiger of Mysore” became a subject of controversy.

“You should be clapping for this uncanny timing. Our dear close Pakistani friends were sleeping for all these decades and never thought of this tweet,” said senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government's decision to celebrate Tipu's birth anniversary in November triggered a row, with strong opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party and other right-wing organisation, which accused him of religious persecution.

“I wonder how Pakistanis have suddenly woken up for one week before Karnataka election to do a tweet. It is an amazing coincidence but there is a saying in English that sometimes is not a coincidence. It is what is known as a deliberately created coincidence and I think those who are trying to be too clever by half are as they say in English ‘hoist on their own petard’.

“They are now become a victim of their own over cleverness because the whole country will ask, how convenient who is in collision and collaboration - the Pakistan official handling of the tweet and the comment of the BJP that is what I call perfect concert and coalition,” said Singhvi.