Commenting on the Tipu Sultan Jayanti controversy in Karnataka, Union Minister of State for Skill Development Anantkumar Hegde said that “it is a matter of time” before Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah “starts making people celebrate Kasab Jayanti.” He was quoted by ANI. Speaking at a public meeting in Belgavi in Karnataka, he said,
Siddaramaiah did not celebrate Kittur Chennamma festival but he is busy celebrating Tipu Jayanti.Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde to ANI
Hegde was criticising Siddaramaiah for state-wide celebrations to mark Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary on 10 November, which are perceived to have ‘sidelined’ the Kittur Chennamma festival. Slamming the immigration in Bangalore, Hegde also said,
Karnataka has become a safe haven for criminals. There are 9 lakh Bangladeshis in Bangalore, you’ll find immigrants in Belgaum, Bijapur, Hubli, Dharwad and even in Kittur you’ll find them. Check under your legs, bombs could have been planted.Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde quoted in ANI
Hegde has known to be vehemently opposed to the the state celebrations of Tipu Jayanti since it was started in 2015 and had called the festival a “shameful event glorifying a brutal killer,” reports The Times of India
(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to fit@thequint.com or WhatsApp @ +919999008335)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)