‘Jihadi who invited Afghans to invade India’: Mohandas Pai educates troll who says Tipu Sultan fought invaders

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on Sunday targeted Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, citing Tipu Sultan’s massacre of over 700 Mandyam Iyengar families in Melukote. Pai asserted that the chief minister should show respect to the Kannadigas who suffered under Tipu Sultan’s rule, instead of praising the ruler whom he calls a ‘butcher’.

In his post on X, Pai wrote: “The tragedy of Melukote. They suffered the worst killing at the hands of Tipu Sultan. Our CM @siddaramaiah should respect and sympathize with the Kannadigas slaughtered by Tipu and not praise their killer. It is very wrong to support such murderers for politics.”

This statement caused a wave of reactions on platform X (formerly Twitter). One user, opposing Pai’s views, called him a ‘Sanghii’, a term often used to describe members or supporters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization. The user wrote: ‘The tragedy of Sanghiis. They suffer from the worst factophobia. No one should respect or sympathize with these bigots blinded by Islamophobia. Our hero Tipu Sultan fought against foreign invaders. The Sanghii hero wrote pleas for mercy and took pensions from them. No wonder you hate him.”

Reacting to the comment, Pai reiterated his views on Tipu Sultan’s alliances and actions. He claimed that the historical narrative surrounding Tipu Sultan is often misrepresented. Pai argued, “Foreign invaders? Big nonsense and lies. Tipu joined the French – also foreign invaders. He fought for his kingdom. For himself: a great jihadist who invited the Afghans to invade India. Read your history; don’t be blinded by false stories.” He further alleged that Tipu Sultan was responsible for the deaths of many communities including the Kodavas and the Nairs and criticized the ruler for using his own sons as hostages to protect himself.

Pai further urged the people to take into account the suffering of the Mandyam Iyengars, a community he said was brutally treated during Tipu’s rule. He called the lack of sympathy for these victims “a great shame,” and stressed the need for historical recognition and respect for those who suffered.