In a fiery rebuttal to the controversy swirling around Tipu Sultan’s portrait in Malegaon’s Deputy Mayor’s office, Shiv Sena firebrand Krishna Hegde accused the official of political naivety. ‘She’s new to the game and oblivious to Maharashtra’s sacred history,’ Hegde told media outlets, underscoring the unparalleled status of Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj as defenders of faith and independence.
Recounting Tipu’s reign marked by Hindu persecutions and temple demolitions, Hegde deemed the portrait’s placement—and its defiant reinstallation post-removal—an affront to public sentiment. He rejected any glorification of Tipu, pointing out his battles with the British were self-serving, unlike the selfless struggles of the Maratha warriors.
On Congress turmoil, Hegde shrugged off Mani Shankar Aiyar’s barbs at party heavyweights like Rahul Gandhi and others as ‘family laundry.’ Insisting it’s Congress’s private matter, he advised the grand old party to sort its leadership woes without external commentary from Shiv Sena or BJP.
Hegde then turned to brighter prospects: PM Modi and Macron’s Mumbai rendezvous for the Indo-France Summit. Amid high-stakes meetings with industry leaders, discussions on AI, data protocols, and innovation partnerships are paving the way for a landmark bilateral pact, set to supercharge economic exchanges between the two nations.