Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal. File | Photo credit: PTI
Courting controversy by comparing Tipu Sultan to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshawardhan Sapkal on Saturday (February 14, 2026) said the two historical figures should be seen in the same league.
Mr. Sapkal’s remarks drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After Mr. Sapkal, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his remarks were regrettable.
Controversy erupted over a painting of Tipu Sultan in Malegaon Shan-e-Hind Deputy Mayor Nihal Ahmed’s chamber. The corporators gave it to her, Ms. Ahmed said. The Shiv Sena protested the presence of the portrait in the Deputy Mayor’s hall.
“We condemn this statement. He (Mr Sapkal) should be ashamed of comparing Tipu Sultan with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He should apologise. We will not tolerate it. Congress should take note if there is even an iota of morality left in it. Congress allies should also take note,” Mr Naggepurnavis said on Saturday on the 14th remarks of “appeasement of the worst kind”.
In response, Mr. Sapkal posted pictures of Tipu Sultan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a post on social media platform X. “They are portraits of Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan in the original copy of the constitution,” he said.
Mr. Sapkal also criticized the BJP and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). “The courage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is unmatched. Shivray is our pride and Tipu Sultan was brave and a lover of self-rule. It was by taking Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as his ideal that he fought against the British. At a time when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipugh Sultan were fighting against foreigners, as people from outsiders like SanjPh Devendra Fadnavis were involved in slavery and espionage for the British and therefore he would Devendra Fadnavis should not have got involved in the pretense of teaching us history, the people of Maharashtra have not forgotten what (former Maharashtra Governor) Bhagat Singh Koshyari along with the BJPatras and their loose talk about the RSS, Mr. Sapkal said on X.
Tipu Sultan was the ruler of Mysore in the 18th century, praised for his fight against the British but also criticized for bigotry and atrocities against Hindus.
Published – 14 Feb 2026 22:13 IST