'Some Creature Entered Sapkal's Mind, Send Him To Mental Hospital': Chandrashekhar Bawankule Amid Row Over Shivaji-Tipu Sultan Remark

Mumbai: Maharashtra Revenue Minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday stated that the state's Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal should be shifted to a mental hospital for insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by equating him with Tipu Sultan.

The state minister called the Congress leader a "worthless person who is not worthy of anything". "It seems that some creature has entered Harshwardhan Sapkal's mind, he should be admitted to a mental hospital," he added.

This comes after Sapkal equated the bravery of Tipu Sultan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj while addressing the controversy over a portrait of Tipu Sultan displayed in the office of Malegaon Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed. He said, “The kind of bravery that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj possessed and the concept of ‘swarajya’ that he introduced…much later, following in that very tradition and taking inspiration from his ideals, Tipu Sultan waged war against the British.”

He added, “In that sense, Tipu Sultan was a great warrior who displayed immense bravery and was a true son of India. He never allowed any poisonous or communal ideas to sway him. As a symbol of bravery, we should view Tipu Sultan as equivalent to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

Following the controversial remarks, BJP leader Dhiraj Ghate filed a compliant against the Congress leader for “hurting the sentiments of Hindus” on the complaint of  The case was registered under sections 192, 196(1), 196(2), 352 and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, Sapkal accused the BJP of politicising the issue by distorting his remarks and misrepresenting them. He added, "I want to clearly state that the founder of Hindavi Swarajya, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is our pride, honour, and glory. It was through his valour that Hindutva Swarajya was established. Taking inspiration from that, Tipu Sultan carried forward the struggle for self-rule."

Rs 10 Lakh Reward For Cutting Sapkal's Tongue: BJP Workers

Protesting against Sapkal's remarks, BJP workers staged a demonstration in front of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial in Ahilyanagar. They publicly announced that anyone who cut off Sapkal's tongue will be awarded Rs 10 lakh.

Also Read- 'Hindu Sentiments Hurt': Congress Leader Harshwardhan Sapkal Booked For Equating Tipu Sultan, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj