Bengaluru: Blame game continues between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the state government-sponsored Tipu Jayanti celebrations.
Coming down heavily on the BJP, whose MPs have not only opposed Tipu Jayanti but also sought that their names not be included in the invites for the official programme, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) released an old picture where the then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Deputy Chief Minister R. Ashok are seen sporting Tipu turban during Tipu Jayanti.
BJP leader D.B. Chandre Gowda is also seen sporting the turban in the picture flanked by P.C. Mohan, MP. Referring to this, the Congress accused the BJP of practising double-standards.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah picked on BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa. “When Yeddyurappa was in the Karnataka Janata Paksha, he had observed Tipu Jayanti and party leader Shobha Karandlaje too had attended it. Now why is Yeddyurappa opposing it?” he wondered, and accused the BJP of opposing the celebrations for political reasons.
The Chief Minister told reporters in Mangaluru that the BJP leaders did not know anything about Tipu’s contribution to society. “Do they (BJP leaders) know history? Why Tipu mortgaged his children? Do they know how Tipu died,” he asked.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the government would go ahead with the State-sponsored Tipu Jayanti celebrations even if the BJP elected representatives did not attend. He said observing the event would not lead to any law and order problem.
