Vokkaligas oppose right-wing portrayal of its soldiers as killers of Tipu Sultan

Bengaluru: The introduction of new names into Mysore history by the right wing in Karnataka has created a split in the Vokkaligara community. They have threatened to launch an agitation if the state government does not take action against the portrayal of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda as soldiers who killed Tipu Sultan.

The Vokkaligara Sangha, a faction within the Vokkaligara community, has urged the government to take action against the people responsible for fabricating two fictional figures as soldiers of their community. It called this an insult to them. Furthermore, the Sangha also questioned the motive behind the introduction of these figures, which it said could damage its relationship with the Muslim community.

The Sangha, under the leadership of Adichunchangiri Mutt seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami and Spathikapuri seer Nanjavadhuta Swami, has threatened to launch an agitation. This comes after right-wing groups in Karnataka introduced new names into Mysore history, causing a split in the Vokkaliga community.

The Sangha is specifically concerned about the portrayal of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda as soldiers who killed Tipu Sultan, despite historians believing that the British killed him during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. The Sangha's president, CN Balakrishna, has warned that promoting such a fabricated version of history could damage the community's relationship with Muslims and insult Vokkaligas.

Despite this, some BJP leaders, including Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje, and BJP general secretary CT Ravi, continue to defend the claims about Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda as real characters. The portrayal is widely seen also as an attempt to deny Tipu a place in . history as a fighter against the British who died in the battle field.

However, Congress leader DK Shivakumar has accused the BJP of distorting history and creating fictional characters to stir up hatred between castes and communities, stating that "BJP creates whoever they want to cook their political rice and destroys whoever's house they want."

Meanwhile, Karnataka's Horticulture Minister and movie producer Munirathna announced that he would abandon plans to produce a movie about two fictitious characters, Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda, due to pressure from the Vokkaligara community.

The community had strongly opposed the decision to make the movie, with the Vokkaligara Sangha even threatening that two prominent seers from the community would lead an agitation if the BJP continued to pursue the matter.