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The Karnataka High Court had earlier rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the celebration of Tipu Jayanti and demanding an interim stay.
The petition was filed by Manju Chinappa, a resident of Kodagu district. Apart from the demand for a stay, he had questioned the legality of the celebration. Thereafter, the High Court had given the government four weeks’ notice to file objections to the contention against the celebration.
The city has come under a thick security blanket for Tipu Jayanti celebrations organised across the state by the government to mark the birth anniversary of the 18th century ruler of the Mysore Kingdom.
A large number of policemen have been deployed in sensitive places. No procession will be allowed in the city that is related to Tipu Jayanti, except for the one organised by the state government, according to the police.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said, "We are not giving permission to any procession, whether it is in favour of Tipu Jayanti or against it. The government itself is celebrating the event in various parts of the city for which we have made elaborate arrangements."
The Police Commissioner had also said that 30 Karnataka State Reserved Police (KSRP) platoons and 25 armed platoons, besides policemen and officers of city police will be deployed. "There will be more than 11,000 policemen all over the city. Besides the regular police, we will deploy Home Guard personnel," Kumar said.
The District Administration in Kodagu has imposed Section 144 in the area ahead of Tipu Jayanti celebration, even as security has been tightened.
Stones were thrown at a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus, as part of the protests against Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Madikeri. Three windowpanes of the bus was broken during the outrage.
Over 150 BJP workers protesting against Tipu Jayanti celebration in Hubli were detained, ANI quoted DCP Karnataka Renuka Sukumar as saying.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar speaks in favour of Tipu Sultan. The spiritual guru said that every ruler has done good and bad deeds. He also said that people need to focus on the good deeds and learn from them.
The Karnataka government led Tipu Jayanti celebrations in the state amid high security cover on Friday.
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