Tipu Sultan controversy: VHP calls for bandh in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Nov 13: Amid mounting tension over the Jayanti celebration of the historical figure Tipu Sultan on Nov 10, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal on Friday, Nov 13, have called for a state-wide bandh in Karnataka.

The bandh is being observed, as a result of police brutality on some of the VHP activists in Madikeri.

Communally-sensitive areas districts Mangaluru, Udupi, Kodagu, Mysuru and Chikmagalur have been affected by the bandh. Madikeri witnessed total shutdown.

However, bandh did not affect normal life in Bengaluru and in other major cities of Karnataka. After Diwali festivities, the bandh-affected parts wore a deserted look on roads and in markets.

Reportedly, vehicles including buses and auto rickshaws are off the roads and schools and colleges have been given holiday for today.

On Thursday, Nov 12, it was also reported that the activists across the state would stage "Raasta Roko" from 11 am to 12 pm on Friday.

On Tuesday, Nov 10, during the clashes between VHP activists and Muslim groups, one VHP activist D S Kuttappa succumbed to the grievous injuries, following which the police had to resort to lathi-charge to control the situation.

Noted actor, film director and writer Girish Karnad had triggered a controversy when he said, "I feel that if Tipu Sultan was a Hindu and not a Muslim, he would have attained the position in Karnataka that Shivaji Maharaj enjoys in Maharashtra. Kempe Gowda was never a freedom fighter. Still, the Bengaluru International airport has been named after him. Instead, it should have been named after Tipu Sultan."

OneIndia News