The Karnataka government on Tuesday, 5 November, told the Karnataka High Court that it will not stop any individual from celebrating Tipu Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the erstwhile ruler of Mysore Tipu Sultan, on 10 November, ANI reported. The government also said that it would not celebrate the day like it has in the past.
However, the Court ordered the state government to reconsider its decision to not celebrate the day.
“By way of interim order, we direct the state government to reconsider its decision taken on 30 July and take appropriate decision in the light of observations made in this order. Direct the state government to take appropriate decision in two months from today and get back to us by third week of January 2020. Government can file objections, can state details of jayanti celebrations of personalities at state level and orders if any, of celebration of these festivals,” the Court said.
The Yediyurappa-led government had, on 30 July, cancelled the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan, which had been organised in the state since 2015.
The Court also said that the decision to stop Tipu Jayanthi celebrations was “taken in a single day”. “It should not look like the decision was taken arbitrarily,” it said.
During a hearing on a petition filed by some activists challenging the Karnataka government’s move, Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadagi had told the Bench that the government's move is only aimed at stopping the celebrations at the “administrative level,” NDTV reported.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on 30 October had said that he disagrees with people who call Tipu Sultan a “freedom fighter.”
BJP MLA from Madikeri, Apachu Ranjan, had earlier written to the Karnataka Education department to strike off references to Tipu Sultan from state syllabus school textbooks.
Speaking to The News Minute, Apachu had said that Tipu Sultan has been glorified as a freedom fighter without being one. “He is not a freedom fighter and this is something that the textbooks have said. This information is wrong and we want an expert committee to look into this. Tipu has converted many people in our area and looted temples in Kodagu.”
Tipu Sultan had ruled the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore from 1782 to 1799 and was involved in multiple battles against the British East India Company for territory in modern-day South India.
(With inputs from ANI, NDTV)
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