Maharashtra Congress Chief Apologizes for Shivaji-Tipu Remarks

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal apologized on Tuesday for remarks that appeared to draw parallels between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan, following widespread backlash from political opponents and Hindu groups in the state. The controversy, which erupted over the weekend in Mumbai and surrounding areas, stemmed from Sapkal's comments on a portrait of the 18th-century Mysuru ruler displayed in the office of Malegaon Municipal Corporation deputy mayor Shahnawaz Nihal Ahmed.

Sapkal made the statements on Saturday while addressing reporters about the portrait, which had drawn opposition from Shiv Sena corporators and Hindu organizations. He described Tipu Sultan as a brave warrior who fought the British, drawing inspiration from Shivaji Maharaj's ideals of valor and self-rule. "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," Sapkal said. He added that Tipu was "a true son of India" who resisted divisive ideologies and should be viewed as a symbol of bravery...