One Dead, Many Hurt in Anti-Tipu Sultan Protest in Karnataka

(Photo: ANI screengrab)

One person has been killed in the protests against the celebration of Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary in Karnataka.

Saffron groups like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal made good on their threat to disrupt celebrations on Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary, they clashed violently with the police in Madikeri, Karnataka. Members of right wing groups, including the BJP, boycotted the event, claiming that Tipu Sultan was a ‘religious bigot’, who tormented the lives of the Hindus he ruled. Protesters clashed violently with the police and were lathi charged in an attempt to contain the violence. There are unconfirmed reports of buses being burnt.

(Photo: ANI screengrab)

Three days ago, the Opposition in Karnataka, the BJP, said that no member or party official would participate in the honouring of a man who was “against the Kannada language.”

Speaking to CNN-IBN, Karnataka’s Home Minister, G Parameshwara, said that the event had been notified well in advance and that the protests were a result of vote bank politics. While maintaining that the protests are ‘minor’ and will easily be contained, he has also appealed to those involved to ‘co-operate’.

Security forces have been deployed in the area to contain the violence.