Tipu Jayanti: Minister Anant Kumar Hegde is special guest for Belagavi event!

Belagavi: Ignoring Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde’s plea to keep his name out of the invitations for the Tipu Jayanti celebrations on November 10, the district administration has mentioned him as a special guest for the Hazrat Tipu Sultan Jayanti Utsav in Belagavi.

Mr Hegde's name has been included in the invitation card for the event although he has written to the state chief secretary asking him to direct all the authorities concerned to keep him out of the Tipu Jayanti programmes.

The minister has requested the DC of Uttara Kannada not to include his name in the invitations for the celebrations for the last two years as the BJP is against state-sponsored Tipu Jayanti celebrations by the Congress government.

A few days after his recent appeal to the government, Belagavi MP, Suresh Angadi too held a press conference opposing the Tipu Jayanti celebrations and appealing to the district administration not to invite him to any of the programmes planned.

But Mr Angadi's name too figures in the official invitation to the celebrations.
In fact, the invitation to the inauguration of the Tipu Sultan Jayanti celebrations by Cooperatives Minister, Ramesh Jarkiholi mentions the names of all BJP MLAs and MPs from Belagavi district.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police, Ramachandran told reporters in Belagavi that he was not aware of BJP leaders asking the police department not to invite them to the Tipu Jayanti celebrations.

The event has been planned on a grand scale by the Belagavi administration, which intends to felicitate meritorious students and hold seminars on Tipu Sultan on the occasion.