Bandh, protests mark Tipu Jayanti

Elected representatives from the BJP and Congress engage in arguments before the Tipu jayanti event at the old fort hall premises in Madikeri. dh photo

The bandh call given Tipu Jayanti Virodhi Horata Samithi and other organisations in Kodagu district evoked good response with private buses and autorickshaws remaining off the roads on Saturday.

A majority of the shops and business establishments remained closed while KSRTC operated its services as usual. Schools, colleges and government offices functioned as usual. Medical shops remained open in the district.

In Virajpet, MLA K G Bopaiah, in Madikeri, MLA M P Appachu Ranjan and MLC Sunil Subramani, were detained and released later. A total of 150 activists from the BJP, Hindu Jagarana Vedike and Bajrang Dal were arrested and later released by the police in the district.

In Chikkamagaluru, the police detained four persons, including BJP state general secretary and MLA C T Ravi, who tried to take out a silent protest by tying a black cloth around their mouths, opposing Tipu Jayanti, on Saturday. They were detained and released later.

Ravi told reporters, “Tipu was responsible for the murder of Onake Obavva and Madakari Nayaka of Chitradurga.”

Former minister Tanveer Sait expressed displeasure over the attitude of the JD(S) towards the celebration of Tipu Jayanti. Though Sait praised district incharge minister G T Devegowda and MLC K T Srikantegowda, JD(S) leaders who were present at the function, he expressed reservation over the absence of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy at the fete.

He was delivering the presidential address at the Tipu Jayanti celebration in Mysuru.

“I understand that Kumaraswamy is not keeping well and is taking rest on the advice of doctors. However, it would have been a good gesture on his part, if he had taken part in the Tipu Jayanti celebrations in the taluk headquarters near to the place where he is relaxing. The leaders should not neglect people of the community,” he said.

The Congress MLA said the government should not celebrate Tipu Jayanti under police protection.

Sait said members of the Muslim community did not ever appeal to the government to celebrate Tipu Jayanti. “We were celebrating Tipu Jayanti even before the government started the celebrations. We will continue to celebrate, if the government cannot do it in a proper way,” he said.

Tipu should not be limited to one particular community, he said. “I appeal to the government and to Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda to establish the Tipu Sultan chair in the University of Mysore,” the former minister said.

The police detained over 60 persons from Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sene, VHP and BJP minorities wing leader Franklin Monteiro for protesting against Tipu Jayanti celebrations in
Mangaluru.