Vadettiwar asks if Tipu Sultan was anti-national over Malegaon 'Tipu wali azadi' slogan

Maharashtra Congress senior leader and MLA Vijay Wadettiwar has responded to slogans such as "Hamein chahiye azadi, Tipu wali azadi" raised at a protest in Malegaon. He said that if someone carries a person's photo during an agitation, they should not be called anti-national.

The matter relates to Malegaon in Nashik district, where a protest was held demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters stood holding a picture of Tipu Sultan and raised the slogan "Hamein chahiye azadi, Tipu wali azadi".

Speaking to the media in Nagpur, Wadettiwar asked whether Tipu Sultan was a traitor. He said Tipu Sultan's history had been presented wrongly. He said everyone wants freedom in their own way, but given the current atmosphere in the country, when someone demands freedom the question arises whether we are living in a democracy today and whether we respect the Constitution.

Wadettiwar also said he did not know what had been said about Tipu Sultan. But according to him, if someone protests or carries someone's photo, they should not be called anti-national, nor a Naxalite. He said anyone who reads history will come to know.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an all-party meeting on the new delimitation proposals. Responding to this, Wadettiwar said that if the Modi government is functioning arbitrarily, the opposition is not weak either. He said the BJP did not win a full majority and the government was formed with the support of other parties. He said the opposition is just as strong, so if the opposition and the ruling side take a decision together, they should proceed after talking.

Wadettiwar said Kharge had also sought, in his letter, a discussion on the shortcomings of the SIR. He asked why the government is afraid, and said it is because the government has done wrong.

Ahead of a Tiranga rally in Delhi, Abhijeet Dipke, leader of the Cockroach Janta Party, and other office-bearers were detained. On this, Wadettiwar said agitators are being suppressed and arrested. He asked why the government fears protests, and whether the fear is that the country's youth will come out on the streets together and shake the government's seat.

He said the more the government suppresses, the more the agitation will grow. According to Wadettiwar, by arresting and beating people the government will also have to face public anger. He said children will not be frightened by police batons and the government should understand this.