Tipu Sultan birth anniversary celebrations: VHP leader dead as cops cane mob to avert clash

Madikeri Ktaka A local VHP leader died and several others including policemen were injured as violence erupted over the holding of the birth anniversary celebrations of 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu SultanA youth was also injured in firing by some unidentified persons near here police said adding that prohibitory orders have been clamped in the entire Kodagu district and additional reinforcements sent to the area to bring the situation under controlPolice used tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge as hundreds of people gathered here and clashes erupted between the opponents and supporters of the celebrations According to police one Kuttappa a VHP leader and a former state government employee suffered head injuries in stone throwing and died on the spotThe violence flared up even as statewide celebrations are being held by the government for the first time to commemorate the birth anniversary of Tipu which however is being boycotted by BJP amidst opposition by several outfits who see him as a religious bigotSome outfits in Kodagu district had called for a bandh today to protest against the governments decision Meanwhile Home Minister G Parameshwara said additional reinforcements were being rushed to Madikeri from Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts and appealed to people to maintain peaceBJP has announced a total boycott of the celebrations saying that no public representative from their party at any level would participate in the official function Further the partys state unit chief Prahlad Joshi said that Tipu was a fanatic and antiKannada Several organisations and individuals too have opposed the state governments move to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti on November 10Tipu was a ruler of the erstwhile kingdom of Mysore and considered an implacable enemy of the British East India Company He was killed in May 1799 while defending his fort of Srirangapatna against British forcesKarnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has defended the governments decision to commemorate his birth anniversary even as he slammed RSS and other communal forces for opposing itMangaluru United Christian Association too has protested against the celebrations alleging that Tipu was responsible for the destruction of many churches in the coastal region and also that Christians were harassed under his ruleReacting to the flareup Siddaramaiah blamed the bandh call for it saying it was an attempt to create disturbance and law and order problem and hamper peace There was no mistake on the part of the government They should not have called a bandhHe said Kuttappa died because he fell while running not because of stone pelting or lathicharge The situation is under control and police bandobast has been strengthened ADGP law and order is at the spot IG is also there Situation is totally under control he saidOn BJPs charge holding the government responsible he said They are the ones who are responsible They have tried to disturb Tipu Jayanti celebrations organised by the government by organising bandh by staging protest Who has violated the law Who has disturbed peace these are efforts to disturb communal harmony We have taken all measures to protect communal harmony so there is no government responsibility in this there is nothing wrong on part of the governmentwe have in fact protected law and order he saidDistrict incharge Minister K J George said one person has died by falling into a ditch accidentally during the clash and the government will inquire into itKarnataka state BJP leader Prahlad Joshi said this incident shows failure on part of the government Government has to give adequate compensation to the dead and injured they have to give at least Rs 25 lakh He said a judicial probe has to be conducted into the incident and police officials responsible had to be suspendedStating that opposition to Tipu Jayanti is harmful for the country former Prime Minister and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda said the violence was condemnable Tipu Sultan is a sensitive issue in Kodagu districtThousands of Kodavas Coorgis considered a martial race were seized and held captive by Tipu Sultan who had occupied Kodagu district after a number of attempts to suppress their rebellion in the 1780sAccording to a version of history the captured Kodavas were subjected to forcible conversions to Islam death and torture besides destruction of temples Kodagubased writer of historical books C P Beliappa has called Tipu Sultan a treacherous tyrantHowever the scale of such suppression is disputed by several historians who see Tipu Sultan as a secular and modern ruler who took on the might of the British and died while defending his fort at Srirangapatna near Mysuru against their forces