"Will BJP Ask President To Resign For Praising Tipu Sultan?": Sena Leader

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) whether it will ask President Ram Nath Kovind to resign for having praised Tipu Sultan as a 'historical warrior' and 'freedom fighter' in the Karnataka Assembly in 2017.

Mr Raut's statement comes following protests by BJP and Bajrang Dal over the Maharashtra government's move to "rename" a refurbished sports complex in Mumbai after 18th Century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan.

"President Kovind went to Karnataka and praised Tipu Sultan that he was a historical warrior, freedom fighter. So, will you ask for the President's resignation too? BJP should clarify this. This is drama," Mr Raut told the media persons in Mumbai.

"BJP thinks that only they have history's knowledge. Everyone's sitting down to write a new history, these historians are here to change history. We know about Tipu Sultan, don't need to learn from BJP," he added.

"If they say it has been named after Tipu and that they will do this and that then they should let it be, saying all this doesn't suit them. State Government is capable of making decisions. Don't write a new history. You can continue trying to change history in Delhi but you won't succeed," he stated.