Sait against celebrating Tipu Jayanti under tight vigil

Former minister and Congress leader Tanveer Sait urged the government not to celebrate Tipu Jayanthi under police protection.

Delivering his presidential speech, during Tipu Jayanti celebrations at Kalamanidra in Mysuru on Saturday, Sait said the members of the Muslim community have never appealed to the state government to celebrate Tipu Jayanti.

“We were celebrating Tipu Jayanti even before the government started the celebrations four years ago. We will continue to celebrate the occasion within our limitations,” he said.

Stating that Tipu Sultan should not be limited to one particular community, he said, both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were bound by the agreement entered with the Wadiyars of the Yadu dynasty that they will protect the Mysuru state.

“If Tipu had behaved like other rulers of his time to surrender to the British, he would have lived long and happily. I appeal to the government and to Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda to establish the Tipu Sultan chair in the University of Mysore for taking up research and to publish an objective history of Tipu Sultan,” he said.

National festival

Sait said, Tipu Jayanti should not be limited to Karnataka and should be celebrated as a national festival because Tipu fought against the colonial rulers and is a national hero.

“Tipu Jayanti should not become mere tokenism. It is not enough to just glorify Tipu Sultan during celebrations. The people should emulate his principles of social justice and development of all, towards building a welfare state,” he said.

Sait expressed his displeasure at the attitude of the JD(S) towards Tipu Jayanti celebrations. Though Sait praised district in-charge minister G T Devegowda and MLC K T Srikantegowda, who were present at the function, he expressed his reservations towards Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

“I understand that Kumaraswamy is not keeping well and is taking rest on the advice of his 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, nearby to the place where he is camping to relax. The leaders should not neglect the community,” he said.

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