“The 12-hour shutdown passed off without any untoward incident despite protest demonstrations and rallies by the BJP cadres and VHP activists in the town”, Kodagu superintendant of police Vartika Katiyar told reporters here later.
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In another controversial remark at the same function, Karnad had said that Tipu Sultan would have enjoyed the same status as of Maratha king Chhatrapathi Shivaji, if he was a Hindu and not a Muslim. “The recent Bihar assembly election results showed there is no place for intolerance in the country”, Siddaramaiah said, referring to the humiliating defeat of the BJP in Bihar by Janata Dal-United-led alliance on November 8.
Meanwhile, the BJP sought a probe into Kuttappa’s death and boycotted Tipu jayanthi celebrations across the state.
Siddaramaiah said, “We should not look at a person through his religion or caste perspective, but keeping in mind the good work done by him to the people”.
“RSS is unnecessarily trying to defame him, we will celebrate his Jayanti”, Siddaramaiah added. “A decision had already been taken to keep the name of the BIAL as Kempegowda – there arises no question of replacing Kempegowda’s name given to Bengaluru worldwide Airport”, he said.
“I have no idea why Girish Karnad made such a comment”.
“It is true that Kempegowda was great, he founded Bangaluru, but he was not a freedom fighter, so naming Bengaluru airport after Tipu Sultan would have been apt”.
In the meantime senior BJP leaders including State BJP President Pralhad Joshi and Mysuru MP Pratap Simha visited Kodagu and called on the family members of the deceased.
Tipu was a ruler of the erstwhile kingdom of Mysore, who was considered an implacable enemy of the British East India Company. “I was additionally there (when he made the comment), I needed to counter however I didn’t do”, he stated.
Tipu was killed in a battle with the British army in 1799 while defending his fort at Srirangapatna near Mysore, about 120 km from Bengaluru.
“Describing Tipu Sultan as a “fanatic” and “anti-Kannada”, he said, “….we have 44 legislators, and it is a practice that wherever such events are organised local legislator presides over it. We have instructed our legislators that they should not preside over this event, they should not go on the dais”.
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Calling those opposing the event as “fanatics” and “communal forces”, he said, “Until these communal forces exist such oppositions and controversies are common”.
