Islamic ruler Tipu Sultan is once again at the centre of a Congress vs BJP squabble in Karnataka after Congress MLA Prasad Abbayya proposed to rename the Mysuru airport after the Muslim ruler. The proposal has drawn a sharp criticism from the saffron party.

The Hubballi-Dharwad (East) MLA during a discussion about the state government writing to the Centre to change the names of airports in the Karnataka legislative assembly said, “I propose the renaming of Mysuru airport to Tipu Sultan airport.”

This angered the BJP legislators and they started protesting and objecting to the decision, triggering heated arguments between both sides in the assembly.

The state assembly, however, unanimously passed the resolution recommending the centre to rename four airports after prominent personalities including Kittur Rani Chennamma and Rashtrakavi Dr KV Puttappa.

According to the resolution, the Hubballi Airport will be named after Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna, Belagavi Airport after Kittur Rani Chennamma, Shivamogga Airport after Rashtrakavi Dr KV Puttappa (Kuvempu) and Vjiayapura airport after Sri Jagadjyoti Basaveshwara.

Infrastructure development minister MB Patil said the new names for the airports will be recommended to the union government for approval.

In October, state chief minister Siddaramaiah hailed Kittur Rani Channamma (the queen of a former princely state in Karnataka who rebelled against the British) and Tipu Sultan as “inspirations to fight for self-respect”.

Tipu Sultan has been a polarising figure in Karnataka. The row over the Muslim ruler dates back to 2016, when the then Siddaramaiah-led Congress government began celebrating his birthday – on November 10 as ‘Tipu Jayanti’.

The decision was scrapped after the BJP came to power in the state in 2019.

(With inputs from agencies)