In a potentially controversial move, the government in Indian state of Maharashtra has ordered the removal of Tipu Sultan’s name, given to a prominent suburban garden and playground by the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Making the announcement, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister M.P. Lodha said the decision was taken recently at a meeting with the Collector.
“Finally, victory of the Right! Ordered removal of name Tipu Sultan from the park in Malad after considering protests by Sakal Hindu Samaj and demands by BJP MP Gopal Shetty,” said Lodha.
He said in the DPDC meeting last year, the previous MVA government had decided to name the park after Tipu Sultan and the BJP had protested the move.
However, after dropping Tipu Sultan’s name, the government of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has not yet decided on its renaming, the Minister added.
The former MVA Minister Aslam Shaikh had revamped the park, included many amenities and sports facilities for the locals and it was named as ‘Shaheed Tipu Sultan Playground’ in January 2022, ahead of the BMC elections, which got postponed.
Sultan Fateh Ali Tipu (1751-1799), famed as just ‘Tipu Sultan’, ruled the Mysore kingdom from 1782 onwards till his rout and death in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1798-1799).
