1,500 police to guard Tipu Jayanti celebrations

From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri (EP)

Madikeri, Nov 9: Deputy Commissioner Dr Richard Vincent D’ Souza and district superintendent of police (SP) P Rajendra Prasad said that sufficient security precautions have been arranged for celebration Tipu Jayanti in Coorg.

They were speaking to media on Tuesday, November 8.

“The programme will be held in old Vidhana Sabha auditorium. Police officers Sunil Agarwal, IGP B K Singh has already arrived in the city. Two SPs, five DySPs, 20 inspectors, 1450 head constables and constables, 500 home guards, 12 KSRP, DRP and sector mobile officials have been deployed,” said P Rajendra Prasad.

“Vehicles are being inspected at check posts at night for the last twenty days. CCTV cameras have been installed in sensitive places. Section 144 is in force,” he said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner M Sathish was present.

Sale of liquor is banned in the district from November 9, 10 pm till November 11, 11 am.

BJP protests against Tipu Jayanti, urges for re-investigation of Kuttappa death

During the day, BJP held protests in front of the office of Deputy Commissioner here on Tuesday, November 8.

Activists who participated in the protests held under the leadership of Madikeri constituency MLA M P Appachu Ranjan and Virajpete MLA K G Bopayya shouted slogans against the government. They warned of intensifying protests if Tipu Jayanti is celebrated without respecting the sentiments of people. MLA Appachu Ranjan said that the government which thinks of holding minorities high will collapse in the days to come. He alleged that the state government has insulted the people of Coorg by going ahead with the celebrations.

“Tipu Sultan has destroyed hundreds of temples in Coorg and converted enough number of people. There are Coorg Muslim communities in Kodangeri and other places even now. There is a citation in the Gazette of Tipu having killed more than 30,000people from Coorg by betrayal. Is there any need of any other proof for his wrong doing?” he asked.

MLA K G Bopayya challenged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is determined to celebrate Tipu Jayanti to come to Coorg. “The celebration of Tipu birth anniversary, who was a fanatic and was anti-Kannada, is a dark day. Section 144 is ordered for the celebrations. If the government had faith in the people and wanted to respect the sentiments of the people, it would not have opted for it. 95% people including minority and minority communities say that they do not want Tipu Jayanti. Despite that, Siddaramaiah due to his ego and to please the minorities has gone ahead for the celebrations,” he said.

“The Congress state government has become a police state by setting aside Rs 12 crore for the celebrations. It has not released the money for Madikeri and Gonikoppal Dasara festivals. How then does it have money for Tipu Jayanti celebrations?” questioned Bopayya.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Dr Richard Vincent D’ Souza who arrived at the venue. Abhimanyu Kumar of Tipu Jayanti Virodhi Horata Samithi, district BJP president Manu Muthappa, district BJP women’s morcha president Yamuna, party district spokesperson Subrahmanya Upadhyaya, leaders B D Manjunath, Zilla panchayat president B A Harish, Madikeri taluk panchayat president Tekkade Shobha Mohan, Virajpet taluk panchayat president Smitha, Zilla panchayat former president B Shivappa, S N Raja Rao, Taluru Kishore Kumar, Mahesh Jaini, Arun Shetty, K S Ramesh, P D Ponnappa, Balachandra Kalagi, Dhananjay, Dean Bopanna, Patrapanda Raghu Nanayya, Mookonda Viju Subrahmani, Bellu Somayya, Mohan Monnappa, Maneyapanda Dejamma and several others participated in the protests.

MLA K G Bopayya urged for reinvestigation regarding the death of Vishwa Hindu Parishat leader Kuttappa who died during Tipu Jayanti celebrations last year. “More than nine pro- Hindu activists are killed for one reason or the other in the state. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home minister Parameshwar and Kempiah are responsible for it,” he said.

MP Pratap Simha urged not to mention his name in the invitation card. He said that he has written a letter to Deputy Commissioner in this respect. “I have written a book explaining the fanaticism, cruelty and anti-Kannada policies of Tipu in a book titled ‘Tipu Sultana Swatantrya Veerana?’ (Is Tipu Sultan a freedom fighter?). I have always opposed Tipu Jayanti celebrations on behalf of the party. Therefore, my name should not be mentioned in the invitation card,” he said.