Bengaluru: A delegation of Kodavas headed by Mr Manjunath K.P. urged the state government to drop idea of celebrating Tipu Jayanti.
In a petition submitted to Chief Secretary Mr Subhash Chandra Khuntia, Mr Manjunath said that by celebrating Tipu Jayanti, the government will be hurting sentiments of Kodavas. Citing phrases from the Imperial Gazetteer written by Mr Kongetira Chengappa in 1902, Mr Manjunath stated that Mysuru ruler Hyder Ali himself had announced a prize of '5 for the head of Kodavas. After his soldiers cut of the heads of over 700 Kodavas, he ordered that they should be captured as they were handsome. Later, the massacre of Kodavas by Hyder’s son Tipu Sultan followed and these were examples of the cruelty of father and son, he noted.
“The name of Tipu Sultan will only invite the anger of Kodavas, who have historically suffered because of him. People of Kodagu will sacrifice their lives but will not accept Tipu. We are surprised that the government has decided to celebrate Tipu Jayanti. There was no contribution of Tipu Sultan towards the independence of India. All he did was to fight the British to save his monarchy,'' the petition noted.
Recalling last year's incident, Mr Manjunath said that one life was lost due to violence during Tipu Jayanthi celebrations. The government decision to celebrate Tipu Jayanthi is surprising and it will be enough reason for communal violence in peaceful Kodagu.
‘Cultural ambassadors’
Mr Khuntia made an impression on the Kodava delegation, which urged him to stop Tipu Jayanti celebrations.
While submitting the memorandum, members of the delegation said that the government was hurting their sentiments, as they were micro-minorities in the state. Mr Khuntia reportedly intervened and said: “Please don’t call yourself minorities. You are very colourful and brave people. As a matter of fact, you are cultural ambassadors of the state.”
