Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)

Udupi, Nov 6: Sri Rajashekarananda Swamiji of Gurpur Vajradehi Math on Friday November 6 warned the Congress-led state government that if it goes ahead with the celebration of Tipu Jayanti on November 10 as planned, a protest would be held and the same day would instead be observed as 'government suicide day'.

He was addressing a protest organized by Karnataka Gaurava Samrakshana Samiti against the state government's plan to celebrate Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary on November 10. The protest near clock tower here.

"If the state government goes ahead with its plan, we will observe the same day as 'government suicide day', and if ministers participate in the Tipu Jayanti programme, we will boycott all their other programmes," the Swamiji said.

"Tipu Sultan was against other religious and against humanity. He converted one lac Christians and tried to turn Mysuru into an Islamic state. Celebrating his birthday is not correct, it will send out the wrong message.

"Usually birth anniversaries of great people are celebrated to create awareness about their achievements but celebrating Tipu Jayanti will send out the wrong signal. Former union minister Rahman towards the end of the UPA government's term had proposed to establish Tipu university which would have influenced students in the wrong way. Where is Rahman Khan now?" he said.

Addressing the protest, Robert Rosario from Mangaluru said, "Nearly 80,000 Christians were captured during Tipu Sultan's reign between 1784 and 1799, and among them, only 20,000 got out alive and rest 60,000 were either butchered or converted. If he ruled for another five years, the entire Christian community in the region would have vanished.

"Birth anniversary of any important personality is celebrated to send across a good message but now this government is celebrating the birthday of a person who left a history of bloodshed. The money of six crore tax payers should not be used for this reason. Tipu Jayanti is being celebrated for nothing but political gain," he said.

"The church attack in Mangaluru in 2008 was hyped by the English media. The real attack on churches was when Tipu Sultan plundered them. In 2008, only some stones were thrown at a church but it was blown out of proportion by the media," he claimed.

"In the coming days, the government may celebrate even the birthdays of Osama Bin Laden and Ajmal Kasab. Tipu was against Kannada. Thousands of people died during his reign, but now just for vote bank the government is celebrating his birth anniversary. He converted one lac Christians. we will not allow the government to celebrate the birthday of such a communal man," he asserted.

Dinesh Ganiga, presidnet of Gaurava Samrakshana Samiti, various Christian leaders, members of Bhajan Mandira, Yuvaka Mandala, Yuvati Mandala, and others were present. A memorandum is expected to be submitted to the governor urging ban on the celebration of Tipu Jayanti.