100 BJP workers detained over Tipu Jayanti protests in K’taka
BENGALURU: Unidentified people pelted stones at a state-run bus in Karnataka’s Kodagu and BJP workers staged demonstrations to protest the annual celebrations of the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, a powerful former ruler of Mysore who evokes extreme sentiments in the state.
The Congress has been celebrating the day as Tipu Jayanti since 2015 and describe the monarch as a freedom fighter who died battling the British in 1799. Right-wing Hindu groups, the BJP and Sangh Parivar, consider Tipu Sultan a “bigot” and “tyrant” who killed Hindus and Christians during his expansion into the region.
On Friday, CM Siddaramaiah called the ruler the first freedom fighter of the country. “Honouring India’s first freedom fighter & the Tiger of Mysore for his bravery & sacrifice in fighting the British. Karnataka salutes his patriotism, courage & military excellence. #TipuJayanti,” he tweeted. Officials said more than a 100 BJP workers were taken into custody when they staged a protest in Madikeri in Kodagu district.
KS Sundar Raj, a senior police official of Madikeri confirmed an incident of stone-pelting on a state bus.
“Section 144 has been imposed in the district for 48 hours and they were not permitted to protest,” Raj said. “Appachu Ranjan, the local MLA, and Sunil Subramani, the local MLC, who were part of the protest, were also taken into custody,” he added.
However, the BJP faced major embarrassment after one of its MLAs was seen at an event commemorating the ruler. Anand Singh, MLA from Ballari, was seen participating in an event celebrating Tipu Jayanti in the town. Repeated attempts to contact Singh through phone calls and messages went unanswered.
BJP leader and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar said the party would take strict action against those who had gone against the party’s stand.
The celebrations were held amid tight security after police commissioner TS Suneel Kumar announced that 11,000 cops. “Either for or against, we will not permit any processions in the city,” he said.
On Thursday, the Karnataka HC had rejected a petition seeking a stay on the celebrations. In the lead up to the event this year, BJP parliamentarian Shobha Karandlaje and Union minister Anathkumar Hegde had asked the state government to not include their names in invites. However, the BJP was left red faced after President Ramnath Kovind praised Tipu in a speech in Bengaluru.