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BJP government in Karnataka axes Tipu Sultan Jayanti
Bengaluru: The newly formed Karnataka government on Tuesday cancelled celebrations of Tipu Sultan Jayanti, indicating how the B.S. Yediyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led rule would not eulogise any aspect of the 18th century controversial ruler of erstwhile Mysuru.

The orders coming barely a day after Yediyurappa proved his majority in the legislative assembly and almost three years after the Congress government initiated the celebrations.

Ironically, Yediyurappa had addressed his first press conference after his swearing in on Friday while facing a portrait of Tipu Sultan in the conference room of Vidhana Soudha.

The order states that there have been several protests in various parts of the state against the celebration of Tipu Jayanthi, especially in Kodagu district. The people of the coffee growing district, are opposed to the celebrations and two people had died as a result when the protests turned violent in 2016.

"In the backdrop of all this, the cabinet has decided that Tipu Sultan celebrations by the Kannada and culture department have been canceled with immediate effect," the order added.

K.G.Bopaiah, the BJP legislator from Virajpet in Kodagu sought that Tipu Jayanthi be cancelled.

The order putting the Congress and BJP, that resolved to work together for the development of the state, on a collision course over the contentious topic. The new government has also been accused of scrapping works and appointments made during the previous government, that is likely to add to the commotion on Wednesday, when the legislature is scheduled to reconvene. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had initiated government sponsored celebrations on 10 November, since 2016.

"For three years continuously we have celebrated it and the people of Karnataka, too, have accepted it. He was a man who fought the British. According to me, he is the first freedom fighter, " Siddaramaiah said in Bengaluru.

News source: https://www.livemint.com