Karnataka govt celebrates 'Tipu Jayanthi' amid tight security

Agencies
November 10, 2018

Bengaluru, Nov 10: The Karnataka government Saturday celebrated the birth anniversary of the controversial 18th century ruler of the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom, Tipu Sultan, bringing the state under a thick security blanket amid threats of protest by the BJP and many Hindu outfits.

Calling Tipu a "religious bigot", the state BJP unit had urged the JDS-Congress coalition government to drop its decision to celebrate 'Tipu Jayanthi'.

As a precautionary measure, prohibitory orders have been clamped in many districts of the southern state.

No processions, either in favour or against the event will be allowed, officials said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in districts like Kodagu and Chitradurga, coastal regions among others, where local communities are opposed to the celebrations.

In Kodagu district, which was marred by widespread protests and violence during the first official celebration in 2015, Tipu Jayanti Virodhi Horata Samithi has called for a bandh Saturday.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) worker Kuttappa had died in Kodagu district during the clash that erupted during the celebrations in 2015.

Superintendent of Police of Kodagu Sumana D Pannekara told reporters that the situation was peaceful so far and security arrangements have been made to ensure that no untoward incidents took place.

She said no one would be allowed to forcefully shut shops and business establishments.

"Around 500 police personnel along with officials have been deployed in and around Vidhana Soudha (Bengaluru).. DCPs of different zones in the city will be in charge of security in their respective jurisdiction. About 15,000 police personnel will be manning the city," Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said.

Tipu Jayanti celebration at the Vidhana Soudha will be held in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, as Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will not be present due to health reasons.

Wishing success for the Tipu Jayanti celebrations, Kumaraswamy in a statement Saturday said, "Tipu's progressive measures in administration, his quest for innovation are commendable".

He also stated that as he was taking rest on doctor's advice, he was unable to take part in the programme.

"It is unnecessary to add special meaning to it. It is also far from truth that he (chief minister) is not taking part due to the fear of losing power, as he opposes such blind beliefs," the statement said.

It is the first Tipu Jayanthi celebration after the Kumaraswamy led Congress-JD(S) coalition government came to power in the state.

The previous Congress government led by Siddaramaiah observed Tipu Jayanthi on November 10 every year since 2015, amid stiff opposition by the BJP and several Hindu organisations.

Tipu was a ruler of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore and considered an implacable enemy of the British East India Company.

He was killed in May 1799 while defending his fort at Srirangapatna against the British forces.

Tipu Sultan, however, is a controversial figure in Kodagu district as Kodavas (Coorgis), a martial race, believe that thousands of their men and women were seized and held captive during his occupation and subjected to torture, death and forcible conversion to Islam.

He is also accused of execution of Mandayam Iyengars at the temple town of Melkote in Mandya district on the day of Deepavali, as they supported the then Maharaja of Mysuru.

However, the scale of such suppression is disputed by several historians, who see Tipu as a secular and modern ruler who took on the might of the British.

While BJP and some Hindu organisations sees Tipu as a "religious bigot" and a "brutal killer", few Kannada outfits call him "anti-Kannada", citing that he had promoted Persian at the cost of the local language.

Comments

ajit kumar
 - 
Sunday, 11 Nov 2018

Tipu sultan the tiger of mysore , was honest and deshbhakt . we should respect him always, truth always prevailing and evil will perish,

Kannadiga
 - 
Saturday, 10 Nov 2018

Salute to Sheir A Mysore Tipu Sultan who fought against British and against their supporter.

 

 

Our nation must celebrate without declaring holiday.

 

Sandesh Shetty
 - 
Saturday, 10 Nov 2018

Master brain behind Tipu Jayanthi celebration is Zameer Ahmed. It just for making controversy and disrputing peace among people. BJP stood to avoid the peace disrupting situation... BJP stood for people always

ahmed
 - 
Saturday, 10 Nov 2018

jai Tipu Sulthan ki...
BJP RSS VHP BAJGANI  supporter of BRITISH 

If goovt decided not to celebrate Tipu Jayanthi, it will be success of BJP. success of communal forces

Sandeep Ullal
 - 
Saturday, 10 Nov 2018

Great.. Happy Tipu Jayathi

Vinod
 - 
Saturday, 10 Nov 2018

Good decision. Why govt should afraid of BJP goons' threat. 

Suresh
 - 
Saturday, 10 Nov 2018

Why govt want to celebrate a controversial figure's birthday

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News Network
May 18,2020

Bengaluru, May 18: Karnataka education minister S Suresh Kumar on Monday announced the SSLC examination dates. Earlier, Karnataka SSLC examinations were to be held between March 27 and April 9, 2020, but had to be postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

The minister announced that Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) will conduct SSLC examination between June 25 to July 4 and the PUC exam for English paper will be held on June, 18, 2020.

"Examinations for Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) will be conducted between June 25 and July 4 in Karnataka. Exams for English paper of Pre-University Course (PUC) will he held on June 18: Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar," ANI tweeted.

The minister for primary and secondary education had held a meeting with the department officials to discuss the feasibility of conducting the exam.

Modalities of conducting the examination in the current situation of the COVID 19 pandemic while taking care of interests of students is of paramount importance, S Suresh Kumar said adding these issues have been kept in mind while finalising the schedule.

With inter-state and inter-district mobility a major issue with public transport not available and also due to 14-day institutional quarantine norms, the minister had told TOI that an idea has been introduced to allow students appear for the examination in the district where they presently are than at their designated examination centre.

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News Network
March 8,2020

Shivamogga, Mar 8: In a tragic incident, three people died on the spot and one person severely injured after a car, in which they were travelling dashed against a wayside tree in Kaspadi village in Sagar Taluk on Sunday.

Police said that the deceased have been identified as Siddappa (40), Venkatesha (50), G Tippanna (60), while injured Nagaraj, was admitted to Hospital at Sagar.

The mishap took place when the victims were their way to visit Kargal Village from Raichur.

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News Network
July 4,2020

A 53-year-old Indian worker in the UAE has missed a special repatriation flight after he dozed off at the Dubai International Airport, a media report said.

P Shajahan, who worked as a storekeeper in Abu Dhabi, was supposed to fly to Thiruvananthapuram on the Emirates jumbo jet chartered by the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) Dubai, Gulf News reported.

It was the first-ever jumbo jet chartered for repatriation.

Shajahan, who had paid 1,100 dirham (USD 300) for the ticket, said that he did not sleep on the previous night as he kept on waiting for the confirmation of his ticket for the jumbo jet flying 427 stranded Indians to Kerala, it said.

He reached the airport early in the morning and after finishing the check-in procedures and rapid test, he reached the waiting area of the boarding gate at Terminal 3 around 2 PM local time, the report said.

“I sat away from most of the others. But I fell asleep after 4.30 PM,” he said.

S Nizamudeen Kollam, who coordinated the charter flight, said that the airline officials could not trace Shajahan when the flight was to take off.

“He woke up and called us after the flight left. It is sad that he missed the flight, which was the first-ever jumbo jet chartered for repatriation. We are now trying to send him on another Emirates flight that we are chartering on Saturday,” Kollam said.

Since Shajahan did not have any money, Jasimkhan Kallambalam, organising secretary of KMCC Thiruvananthapuram, went to the airport to meet him on Friday.

“Since his visa was cancelled, he could not come out of the airport. He had only eaten the snacks in the kit KMCC had given. We managed to give him some cash for buying food through KMCC volunteer Alamsha Latheef,” Kallambalam said.

In March, another Indian expat had fallen asleep in the same terminal and missed the last flight home before flights were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was stranded here for over 50 days before getting repatriated.

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