Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday cleared the legal hurdles for the state government to celebrate
'Tipu Jayanti', as it refused to stay a circular issued by the Director of Kannada and Culture Department to celebrate the jayanti across the state.
The court instructed the government to maintain law and order during the jayanti celebrations. Tipu Jayanti is being celebrated on Nov. 10.
The petitioner, K.P. Manjunath, had approached the high court, seeking to quash the circular and restrain the celebrations in Kodagu district.
The division bench, headed by acting Chief Justice H.G. Ramesh, adjourned the matter by four weeks, observing that the matter is sensitive and needs detailed hearing. The court has asked the state to respond to it.
The court asked the petitioner's advocate whether there was any pressure on the state government to celebrate Tipu Jayanti. It further questioned the petitioner's advocate, "What mental ailments Tipu Jayanti caused to the people of Kodagu and Mangaluru? How does it affect you?"
The petition stated, “Tipu Sultan's reign resulted in the conversion and killing of thousands of Kodava as a retaliation to his defeat and there was large-scale communal violence when Tipu Jayanti was celebrated in 2015."
