JOIN USUrigowda-Nanjegowda row: BJP workers feel leaders let them down
The BJP has accepted defeat, in the Vokkaliga belt of Old Mysuru region, even before the ‘war’ is declared. The BJP leaders have given up, by withdrawing the Uri Gowda, Dodda Nanje Gowda issue. Earlier, some of them claimed that the duo killed Tipu Sultan, said a few party workers.
Krishne Gowda, a senior BJP leader in Mandya, said, earlier also, there was folklore that Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda killed Tipu. “Rural people used to sing paeans of their valour. Since the advent of the social media, the information was propagated among our circles. Kranti Manju, a nationalist, wrote about it on his blog 'Prajna Bharata' on March 2, 2015, itself. But, not many took it seriously,” he said.
Krishne Gowda said, “Loki Bellur, a contact of Manju, posted a call for observing ‘Shourya Dina’, to celebrate Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, and tagged Manju Kranti, on a social media platform on May 4, 2020. However, the duo came into mainstream discussion, only after their characters were shown in the play Tipu Nija Kanasugalu, written and directed by Rangayana Director Addanda C Cariappa.”
Hombe Gowda, an elderly member of BJP, said, “We were happy, when BJP ministers like R Ashoka and Dr C N Ashwatha Narayan and general secretary C T Ravi defended the duo, as a section of the people claimed that there were no such characters in history.”
“We thought that the issue was going to the next level, when Horticulture Minister Munirathna, announced production of a film, by registering the name ‘Uri Gowda and Dodda Nanje Gowda’, under his Vrishabhadri Productions. We were hopeful that the BJP, a minor player in the Old Mysuru region, can strike a chord with Vokkaliga voters, mainly those with nationalist viewpoint. But, as the BJP high-command and Adichunchanagiri mutt seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami asked the BJP leaders not to talk about the duo and to withdraw plans for the film, we are disappointed,” he said.
Krishne Gowda said, “KPCC president D K Shivakumar slammed the BJP, for raking up the issue and said that the BJP leaders are trying to malign the Vokkaliga community. Earlier, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy too accused the BJP ministers of hatching a conspiracy to malign Vokkaligas."
"I still do not understand, how the community will be maligned, if it is found that the duo killed Tipu. I know that it has to be proved by research and evidence. But, can’t we take pride in the fact that our community members would have played a crucial role in restoring the Mysuru kingdom to the Wadiyars?” asks Krishne Gowda.