Court in Karnataka issues stay on controversial book on Tipu Sultan

A civil court in Karnataka has passed an injunction to temporarily stay the circulation of Addanda Cariappa’s book Tipu Nija kanasugalu, which claims to reveal the true nature of Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile ruler of Mysore. The book was heavily protested upon its release by several Muslim groups.

The stay comes in the wake of the suit filed by the Chairman of the District Wakf Board Committee, BS Rafiulla, who says that the book is full of historical inaccuracies, does not substantiate any of the claims it makes, and makes inflammatory and derogatory statements against Muslims.

He specifically references the word “Turukaru” mentioned in the book, which holds derogatory connotations for the Muslim community. The court has accepted his plea and issued a temporary stay on the book’s circulation.

The Tipu Sultan issue has been a hot button topic in the state of Karnataka. The attempts to rewrite the ruler’s past and present him as a barbaric and ruthless invader as opposed to a secular, just, and able administrator has been an ongoing one. In the wake of the upcoming assembly elections, the erstwhile ruler has become an easy target for politicians to grind their axe against and gain brownie points with the people.