Mumbai: After Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, now the ghost of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of Mysuru, has come to hang-out Maharashtra’s politics. The newest flashpoint has come after a comment by Congress state president Harshwardhan Sapkal the place he equated the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji to that of Tipu Sultan.

Sapkal instructed media Saturday: “The sort of bravery that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj possessed, and the idea of ‘Swarajya’ that he launched… a lot later, following in that very custom and taking inspiration from his beliefs, Tipu Sultan waged struggle in opposition to the British. In that sense, Tipu Sultan was an incredible warrior who displayed immense bravery and was a real son of India. He by no means allowed any toxic or communal concepts to sway him. As a logo of bravery, we should always view Tipu Sultan as equal to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

This erupted in a significant controversy the place the Congress and Shiv Sena UBT are accusing the BJP of alleged double requirements on Tipu Sultan. The Opposition claims {that a} decade in the past, the BJP had proposed naming a street within the metropolis after Tipu Sultan. However the BJP denies this.

Congress on its official social media web page on X wrote, “In 2013, a proposal was submitted by BJP corporators to call Shivajinagar Street No. 4, which begins from Bajiprabhu Deshpande Marg within the M/East ward of Mumbai and extends to Rafi Nagar Nullah, as Shaheed Tipu Sultan Marg.”

The Congress says that this proposal was offered by the then BMC standing committee, (of which present mayor Ritu Tawde was the member) and BJP Mumbai president Ameet Satam had seconded it.

मुख्यमंत्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस तुम्हाला लाज वाटतेय का ?

२०१३ मध्ये मुंबईतील एम/पूर्व’ विभागातील बाजीप्रभू देशपांडे मार्गापासून सुरु होऊन रफीनगर नाल्यापर्यंत जाणाऱ्या शिवाजीनगर मार्ग क्र. ४ ह्यास ‘शहीद टिपु सुलतान मार्ग’ असे नाव देण्याबाबतचा प्रस्ताव भारतीय जनता पक्षाच्या… pic.twitter.com/HjdUvlHOcM

— Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) February 15, 2026

The Shiv Sena UBT mouthpiece Saamna mentioned, “In BMC, paperwork suggesting BJP’s ‘love’ for Tipu can be found for anybody to see. BJP has used Tipu Sultan for his or her political positive factors a number of instances previously and now they’ve dug his grave. However sadly, they themselves fell in that grave.”

However BJP minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha denied this. Chatting with reporters Monday, Lodha mentioned, “We now have by no means proposed Tipu Sultan’s identify any the place. In reality, we’ve got at all times opposed naming gardens or roads after him. So I’m not conscious of all this.”

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Additionally learn: How BJP has introduced Tipu Sultan to Wayanad & sparked a row over a city named after his artillery

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The ghost of Tipu Sultan 

Opinion on Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of Mysuru, is split. His supporters see him as an anti-colonial hero who led the battle in opposition to the British. His critics, typically the Hindutva brigade of VHP and Bajrang Dal, describe him as a bigot and spiritual persecutor.

In 2021, Samjawadi corporator Ruksaana Siddique had written to the BMC’s backyard and markets committee asking {that a} backyard in Govandi be named after Tipu Sultan. This was met with stiff opposition from the BJP.

Throughout MVA rule, in 2022, then guardian minister of Mumbai and Congress chief from Malvani Aslam Shaikh inaugurated the backyard and named it after Tipu. The transfer noticed the BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal erupt in protests.

The 12 months after the Mahayuti authorities got here to energy within the latter half of 2022, then guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha eliminated Tipu Sultan’s identify from the backyard.

In 2023, ThePrint had reported clashes between Hindutva teams and native Muslim residents in Kolhapur after an allegedly objectionable submit and audio message was shared on social media. The police had arrested seven folks.

What led to the present controversy?

The present controversy started Saturday when a portrait of Tipu Sultan was hung within the workplace of Malegaon deputy mayor Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed.

“The portrait was gifted to me by my corporators. I don’t have any objection to it. Tipu Sultan was a freedom fighter who battled the British. Even the federal government has talked about this in an affidavit after some folks approached the courts in search of a ban on celebrating Tipu Sultan’s birthday,” the deputy mayor had mentioned.

However it was eliminated after the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, a part of the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, objected to the portrait.

Nonetheless, Malegaon deputy Mayor Nihal Ahmed instructed the media that the portrait had been eliminated because the workplace was being renovated, and it will get replaced once more.

“The primary photograph ought to have been of Mahatma Gandhi after which the architect of our Structure Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Why ought to there be an issue over Tipu Sultan? Didn’t he lose his life whereas combating in opposition to the British?” she requested.

However Congress state president Harshwardhan Sapkal’s assertion escalated the controversy. On Monday, he accused the BJP of utilizing the Tipu Sultan challenge to divert folks’s consideration from the shortage of primary facilities and the contents of the Epstein information.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant additionally hit out on the BJP, accusing it of “double requirements” and pursuing an agenda of polarisation.

हा सूर्य आणि हा जयद्रथ
तसाच हे टिपू सुलतान आणि हे बावनकुळे…https://t.co/O2HrpKjzw4 pic.twitter.com/4M2E4cCWzF

— Sachin Sawant सचिन सावंत (@sachin_inc) February 15, 2026

He cited a number of cases to assert that BJP leaders had earlier supported or endorsed references to Tipu Sultan in public areas and official boards. He referred to resolutions in civic our bodies in Akola and Mumbai, in addition to previous cases the place BJP leaders had purportedly praised or related to the historic determine.

AIMIM has additionally waded into the controversy and occasion chief Waris Pathan Sunday mentioned, “What’s the challenge with him? His photograph is within the Structure, from 1950. You and I weren’t even born then.”

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut additionally slammed the BJP and mentioned that previously (in 2017) President Ramnath Kovind had praised Tipu Sultan whereas addressing a Karnataka meeting session.

“When Ramnath Kovind was the President, he had gone to Karnataka and showered praises on Tipu Sultan. Why did the BJP not cease him then?” Raut requested.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)

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Additionally learn: Tipu Sultan was simply as flawed however Marxist historians didn’t inform us that

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