State will burn if Haj Bhavan is named after Tipu Sultan: KG Bopaiah

Madikeri: BJP leader K G Bopaiah on Saturday cautioned that “the whole state will burn” if the government renames the Haj Bhavan in Bengaluru after Tipu Sultan. 

The former Legislative Assembly speaker said “The Haj Bhavan was intended for Haj pilgrims. It wasn’t built to be named after Tipu Sultan, who was a deceiver, murderer and one who converted Hindus.” 

Bopaiah said it was the BJP that endorsed the Haj Bhavan. “In my district, Tipu Sultan destroyed 310 temples and converted over 80,000 Hindus. Indeed, even today, Kodagu people consider Tipu to be a traitor. There will be serious dissents in Kodagu (if the Haj Bhavan is renamed),” he said. 

On Friday, Minority Welfare and Wakf Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan said the government got proposition from the Muslim religious scholars demanding that the Haj Bhavan be renamed as Hazrat Tipu Sultan Haj Ghar. The priest said a decision would be taken after consulting Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. 

The BJP has warned of serious dissents if the Haj Bhavan is renamed after Tipu Sultan.