Bengaluru: Even as Sangh Parivar outfits in Karnataka have threatened to disrupt the first ever government celebration of 18th century king Tipu Sultan's birthday on November 10, RSS today described him as "the most intolerant ruler" and lent its support to protesters of the event.
"Majority of the people are opposed to it - Tipu was the ruler of Mysore - it's okay, but at the same time he was the most intolerant king. It has been recorded by history, not by RSS. On his sword it is clearly mentioned, it is meant to kill kafirs," Kshetreeya Sanghachalak of RSS for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, V Nagaraj told reporters here.
Sangh Parivar outfits have decided to stage demonstrations that day. Vishwa Hindu Parishad on its part has threatened to disrupt the event.
Nagaraj claimed people in Karnataka are opposed to the celebrations as many historians have recorded the treatment meted out to people during his tyrannical rule.
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"Historians in Karnataka also have written how he had treated people of Chitradurga, Mangaluru and mid-Karnataka. So, naturally people are opposing it," he said.
To a query, Nagaraj said RSS would not hold demonstrations, but support protesters and agitators.
On the VHP's threat to disrupt the programme, he said "This question should be asked to VHP."
To a query, Nagaraj said there is no intolerance in the country, but there is "intellectual intolerance" among certain writers who were not tolerating the emergence of an alternative ideology.
"RSS sees it as intellectual intolerance. The problem lies among intellectuals who do not want to allow intellectual views of alternative ideology ... The intolerance exists in a particular section of writers, not in the country as it has been portrayed by them," he said.
"The intolerance bogey raised by the intellectuals is politically motivated, probably to embarrass NDA government at the centre," he added. Nagaraj also opined that a section of writers who were returning their awards had never done so during the Emergency and when the Sikh riots took place during Congress rule.
"Instead of questioning the state governments where such incidents (Dadri lynching and Kalaburgi murder) happened, the writers are holding the central government responsible for incidents pertaining to law and order, which is a state subject. In what way is the Centre responsible?" Nagaraj said.
Clearly, these writers have a different agenda in returning awards, he added.
On Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's beef-eating remark, Nagaraj said it has "hurt" the sentiments of crores of people of the country, who do not consume beef.
"CM Siddaramaiah has every right to eat whatever he wants. That is his personal wish. But being a CM, he should think whether he should air it publicly which will hurt the sentiments of crores of people in the state and also the country," he said.
