The Hindu : National : Historians protest remarks against Tipu

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Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006
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Historians protest remarks against Tipu

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Several historians on Monday protested the remarks by Karnataka's Minister for Higher Education D.H. Shankaramurthy that Tipu Sultan was "anti-Kannada" as he made Persian the language of administration.

Under the banner of the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust, the historians said in a statement: "The integrity of history books needs to be protected against all such ignorant and partisan onslaughts."

The statement was issued in response to Mr. Shankaramurthy's comment that Tipu Sultan should be spurned by all patriotic people of Karnataka as he replaced Kannada with Persian in administration. Citing Tipu Sultan's letters and the orders passed by him, the statement said there were numerous references to officials and clerks appointed for keeping records in Kannada and Marathi in the treasury and other government offices.

On the Minister's desire that Tipu Sultan's name be expunged from all textbooks, the historians said: "Such a desire suits only those who have scant respect for the memory of India's long fight against foreign invaders or colonial rule. It is inconceivable that the people of Karnataka, and of India, can consign to oblivion a man like Tipu Sultan, a true martyr, whom they have held up as a hero, while the British regard him as their most redoubtable opponent."

The signatories to the statement include R.S. Sharma, A.R. Kulkarni, D.N. Jha, Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, Shireen Moosvi, M.G.S. Narayanan, Kesavan Valuthath, K.M. Shrimali, Irfan Habib, Arjun Dev, Biswamoy Pati, Suvira Jaiswal, R.C. Thakaran and Amar Farooqui.

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