State president of Dr Ambedkar Prachara Samiti, N. Ramu, on Thursday criticised playwright Girish Karnad for his suggestion to rename Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after 18th century Mysore king Tipu Sultan and demanded action against him.
Ramu said that people of Karnataka are pained by Girish Karnad’s suggestion and demanded that his Jnanpith Award should be taken back.
“The Bangalore International Airport has been named after Kempegowda long back; now he is saying it should be named after Tipu Sultan. People of Karnataka are pained by it. These writers and literary people are making controversial statements. They are disrupting peace by making such remarks. We demand that case be filed against him,” Ramu told ANI.
“We have lodged a complaint with the police against this statement. We have demanded that his Jnanpith Award should be taken back and that he should be arrested,” he added.
Karnad earlier received a death threat after his suggestion to rename Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after Tipu Sultan. Girish Karnad had also paid tributes to Tipu Sultan who fought against the British colonial rulers.
Karnad, who participated in ‘Tipu Jayanti’ celebrations, was threatened that he would meet the same end as writer M M Kalburgi, who was killed recently.
Karnad has now demanded immediate action against those who issued death threats and said he would begin a protest if this was not done. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was on the dais with Karnad when he made the controversial remark, however said the government has no intention to rename the airport and it was Karnad’s personal opinion.
