Bangaluru, November 11: Soon after the Bhartiya Janata Party leaders boycotted the celebrations of birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan held at the state Secretariat in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, veteran actor and writer Girish Kannad sparked a controversy by saying that the 18th century Mysore ruler would have enjoyed the status of Shivaji, had he been a Hindu. Also Read - Finally! YouTuber Shubham Mishra Booked By Vadodara Police For Rape Threats To Comedian Agrima Joshua

Speaking to a private media channel on Tuesday, the Jnanpith awardee commented on the ongoing protest by the Bhartiya Janata Party supporters outside the secretariat against the celebration. Karnad said, “I feel that if Tipu Sultan was a Hindu and not Muslim he would have attained the position in Karnataka that Shivaji Maharaj enjoys in Maharashtra.” Slamming the protest by the saffron brigade, he said that that issue is being diluted in the name of religion. (ALSO READ: Technology impacts reading habits of the young: Girish Karnad) Also Read - Riteish Deshmukh to Play Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji in Nagraj Manjule's Trilogy

Karnad added, “Because what has happened is today our scholars and politicians look at one’s religion and caste first….Injustice has happened to Tipu Sultan because of this type of evaluation.” Targeting the protesters who are calling Tipu Sultan “anti-Kannada and anti-Hindu”, he said, “Today, when we are celebrating this day as Deepawali and Tipu Sultan day, we can also celebrate it as Bihar day.” Karrnad also said that the naming of Bangaluru airport should have been after Tipu Sultan rather than Kempegowda, who was not a freedom fighter. Also Read - Shivaji Jayanti 2020 Wishes: Best Marathi Quotes, SMS, Facebook Status & WhatsApp GIF image Messages to send Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti greetings!

Realising that his comments will be debated, he said, “I’m aware what I’m saying now will be debated….as we know Kolkata airport is named after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mumbai airport is named after Shivaji Maharaj, but in Karnataka we have named it after Kempegowda. It is true that Kempegowda was great, he founded Bangaluru, but he was not a freedom fighter, so naming Bengaluru airport after Tipu Sultan would have been apt.”