BJP Kerala president K Surendran, who is contesting as an MP from Wayanad, announced he will rename Sulthan Bathery as Ganapathyvattom, if elected to power. Surendran made this announcement on Thursday, April 11, sparking a controversy in the state. The BJP chief is contesting against Rahul Gandhi and Annie Raja from the constituency.
Speaking to the media, the BJP state chief claimed that the name Sulthan Bathery was derived from the Tipu Sultan invasion. “What contribution did Tipu Sultan make to Kerala? He merely converted Hindus to Muslims,” he alleged.
Surendran’s proclamation has sparked controversy with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) alleging that the BJP chief is pursuing communal objectives.
“It is merely his wish. This kind of renaming happens in India where historical names are replaced with mythological names. This is a manifestation of fascism. Such a thing will not happen in Kerala,” CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan said.
Indian Union Muslim League veteran and parliamentarian PK Kunhalikutty said that K Surendran will never win from Wayanad, so this renaming is unlikely to occur.
The original name of Sulthan Bathery, the largest town in Wayanad, was Ganapathyvattom. Tipu Sultan used a Jain temple in the region to store ammunition and position his artillery, leading to the name "Sulthan Battery," which later became Sulthan Bathery.
K. Surendran initially made this announcement during an interview with the right-wing media outlet Republic TV. He also described Wayanad as the most underdeveloped district in Kerala and promised to bring Railways to the hill district.
“This is the most underdeveloped district in Kerala. Over 20% of the population here belongs to Scheduled Tribes and are plantation laborers. Wayanad lacks railway connectivity,” he said.
Referring to Kerala as the top state for Islamic State recruits, he criticized both the UDF and LDF for fostering conditions conducive to Islamist terrorism in the state.
"Kerala ranks number one in Islamic State recruitment….. In Kerala, there's no freedom for BJP and RSS workers," he alleged.
He further noted the growing popularity of the BJP among Christians in Kerala, stating, "Every day, I receive support from churches; now the Christian community is gravitating towards the BJP."