HC directs govt to reconsider scrapping Tipu Jayanti

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday asked the state government to reconsider the decision on scrapping Tipu Jayanti celebration.

Hearing a PIL filed by Bilal Ali Shah, Tipu Sultan United Front and Tipu Rashtriya Seva Sangha, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay S Oka asked the government to reconsider its decision on Tipu Jayanti within two months and file additional objections in the matter.

The government has only withdrawn the financial assistance for the celebration of Tipu Jayanti and not prohibited any person to celebrate the same. This court will not exercise drastic decision to stay the government order. The government shall reconsider its change of policy and further decision shall be made fairly by considering facts of the matter, the court said.

The bench also asked the government to submit a detailed report on jayantis of eminent personalities celebrated by it.

Ravivarma Kumar, the counsel for the petitioners, contended that the government arrived at the decision without inviting any opinion or representation from individuals or organisations.

He added that the state government was sponsoring celebration of 28 Jayantis. The government has cancelled the Tipu Jayanti on the ground that it is a policy matter. But change of the policy of the government should not be arbitrary or discriminatory against any community, he objected.

Advocate General Prabhuling Navadagi submitted that the matter of celebration of Jayanti is a policy matter of the government was not a matter of public interest any more. The court cannot interfere in the matter since it is the discretion of the government to celebrate any Jayanti.