On 16th December, Pratap Simha, the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Mysuru-Kodagu in Karnataka strongly objected to the Congress party’s suggestion to rename the Mysuru airport in honour of Tipu Sultan, the Islamist monarch of the 18th century. He criticised the proposal saying that the formal procedure to name the airport after Mysuru’s 20th-century king Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was already almost finalised.
He responded by calling the proposal to name it after Tipu Sultan ridiculous and pointing out that the airport had previously received approval to be renamed in commemoration of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar.
The BJP leader disclosed in a statement that he had earlier recommended that the Mysuru airport be renamed “Sri Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar Airport” in May 2022. He further maintained that the cabinet had accepted the same and that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had requested that Rs 35 crore be allotted for the airport’s runway development.
He conveyed, “The Cabinet also approved this nomination. The previous government led by former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had already proposed to name Mysuru airport after Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. He subsequently wrote to the Centre on August 1, 2022, making the recommendation. The union government will soon make an official statement about the name, and it is in the final stages. It is unfair for Congress to create such confusion among people by passing unruly statements.”
Furthermore, he charged that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is attempting to cater to a particular community in the Mysuru area. “Siddaramaiah has no respect for Yaduvansha. During his first term, Siddarmaaiah permitted Tipu Jayanti to hurt the feelings of the people of Mysuru and Kodavas when they were against it. Congress is trying to appease a community for their vote bank politics by twisting the history. I will not allow the Congress to rename Mysuru Airport after Tipu Sultan.”
“Who is he trying to appease by elevating Tipu Sultan as a heroic figure,” the parliamentarian asked. He announced, “Under no circumstances will I permit Mysuru airport to be named after Tipu Sultan. I will steadfastly support the sentiments of the people of Mysuru-Kodagu, who unanimously desire the airport to be named after Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. I stand as their voice, unwavering in my stance.”
Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya from Hubballi-Dharwad (East) came up with the proposal of renaming the Mysuru airport after Tipu Sultan during a discussion about the state government writing to the Centre to change the names of airports. “I am 101 per cent still defend my decision demanding the Mysuru Airport to be named after Tipu Sultan. He gave Dalits and backward classes respect in society. Tipu Sultan brought the Land Reforms Act and helped backward-class people. I am a fan of Tipu Sultan. There is no need to appease any community,” he claimed while defending his controversial decision.