MP Prathap Simha said, the re-naming of Bengaluru-Mysuru Super-Fast Train, after Wadiyars, was intentional and this is the first time in history that the name of a train was changed in India.
Speaking to media persons, here, on Wednesday, Simha said, “what is the contribution of Tipu Sultan to Mysuru? I can list 100 contributions of Wadiyars for the development of Mysuru. For what Mysuru is today, everything was given by the Wadiyars".
In response to the reactions that the name of Wadiyar could have been given to a new train, Simha said his achievement of getting 10 new trains to Mysuru from 2014, when he was elected for the first term, is an unmatched example in the entire nation.
“However, the renaming of the particular train was intentional, as Tipu was a tyrant and against the Kannada language. He imposed Persian in administration. Starting from the post of Diwan, up to the terms in our land records, Persian has invaded our lives because of him,” he said.
Reacting to the comments of his own party member MLC A H Vishwanath, who said that the name of a train can be removed, but Tipu cannot be removed from the hearts of the people, Simha said, people will remove such people from their hearts.
Following the criticism of the Dasara celebration, by Vishwanath, Simha said 40 lakh people visited Mysuru to enjoy Dasara. “Is that not an achievement? When so many people arrive, to witness the festivities, there could be issues. But, district in-charge Minister S T Somashekar has taken all efforts, to make Dasara a success,” he said.
Simha said, the works on the international standard cricket stadium, by Karnataka State Cricket Association at Sathagalli, near Visvesvaraya Technological University College, on a 20-acre land, will start in three months. “All formalities have been fulfilled and only State Cabinet approval is pending,” he said.