Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and former PM HD Deve Gowda have decided to distance themselves from Tipu Jayanti event. They will not be attending the programme being held in Vidhana Soudha. Are the two leaders trying to avoid controversy?
Bengaluru: Amidst opposition from BJP and Sriram Sena, the Karnataka government has decided to go ahead with celebrating Tipu Jayanti (birth anniversary) on November 10. But reports say that Karnataka chief minister Kumaraswamy is likely to give the official event a miss.
Former PM and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda along with party leaders are likely to distance themselves from Tipu jayanti to be organised at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, tomorrow. Deve Gowda is said to be on a trip to Delhi.
It is said that Kumaraswamy has been advised by doctors to take rest without any official engagements on Saturday and Sunday.
When JD(S) was in opposition, Kumaraswamy had lashed out at Congress for organising Tipu Jayanti in 2015. He had spoken against organising birth anniversaries, be it Gandhi Jayanti or Ambedkar Jayanti and had criticised Congress government on its stand on Tipu Jayanti.
Now, after coming to power with the help of Congress, JD(S) has agreed to celebrate Tipu Jayanti officially.
It looks like Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy are not attending the Tipu Jayanti event to save themselves from criticism from the opposition.
By organising the event, they are pacifying the Congress leaders and by not attending, JD(S) is keeping itself away from Tipu Jayanti controversies.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders gathered at Mysuru Bank Circle in Bengaluru and staged a protest against celebrating Tipu Jayanti.
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