Karnataka: BJP Minister drops plan to make film on Tipu killers

Bengaluru: After drawing flak, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Minister for Horticulture Munirathna on Monday stated to have dropped his plan of making a film on ‘Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda’ whom the BJP claim as killers of erstwhile ruler of Mysore Kingdom Tipu Sultan. Munirathna is also a film producer.

The BJP leaders in particular C.T. Ravi, Shobha Karandlaje, Dr Ashwathnarayan and R Ashoka, all belonging to Vokkaliga community, have claimed ‘Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda’ as killers of Tipu Sultan and that they have evidence for the killing of Tipu Sultan.

The claims of BJP on Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda have drawn flak from historians and political leaders especially former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy who has termed ‘Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda’ as ‘fictitious’ characters. BJP also claimed that Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda belong to Vokkaliga community.

After a meeting with the pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Matha Nirmalananda Swamiji in Mandya, the Minister cited that he did not wish to hurt the sentiments of people and stated that the pontiff had asked him to verify the facts before making the film.

Over the film idea of Munirathna, Kumaraswamy, also a Vokkaliga, stated that the ‘Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda’ are ‘created characters.’ Adding, he said, one can make a film on them and make money out of it but “Nothing can change by making a film.”

Kumaraswamy observed that such attempts would have no impact on to disturb the Vokkaliga community votes in the ensuing elections and claimed that ‘Vokkaliga votes would remain intact.’ Congress party spokesperson Lakshman termed Uri Gowda and Doddananje Gowda characters as an attempt to create rift between Vokkaligas and Muslims.