'Govt dividing society through Tipu Jayanti'

BJP leaders and workers staged a protest against Tipu Jayanti, in front of the party office here, on Friday.

The protesters. who raised slogans against the state government, burnt an effigy of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

When the protesters tried to take out a procession to Azad Park Circle, the police stopped them and bundled them into a vehicle.

BJP leader Ravindra Belavadi said, “The government is observing Tipu Jayanti to woo one section of the society. Tipu had killed many Hindus and Christians. The government is trying to divide the society through the celebration.”

There is a conspiracy to glorify Tipu for vote-bank politics. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is not attending Tipu Jayanti, he added.

He urged the government to instead observe A P J Abdul Kalam and Shishunala Sharif Jayanti.

“The Congress and JD(S) are conspiring to divide the society in the name of caste and religion,” BJP leader Sudheer said.

The Police had detained 38 protesters, who were taken to the police grounds at Ramanahalli. They were later released.