Former Minister Tanveer Sait on Friday, November 10, expressed his opposition to any move to resume Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Karnataka by the government.
Mr. Sait, a Congress MLA representing the Narasimharaja Assembly segment in Mysuru, offered floral tributes to the tomb of Tipu Sultan at Gumbaz in Srirangapatna near here on his 273rd birthday on Friday.
For a very long time, Tipu’s admirers had been celebrating his birthday as a private affair out of their respect for him, in their own manner. But, ever since the State government started celebrating Tipu Jayanti in 2016, the situation began taking a turn for the worse, he regretted.
Claiming that there were speculations in certain circles that Tipu Jayanti celebrations would be revived again by the present government, Mr. Sait said he strongly opposed the government resuming Tipu Jayanti celebrations. “I am strongly against it and will raise my voice against it. It is not the government’s job to celebrate Tipu’s birthday. His admirers will celebrate the occasion,” he said.
Mr. Sait said he disapproved of cutting a cake or bursting crackers to celebrate Tipu’s birthday as there was no space for such activities in Islam.
“On the occasion, we should pray for global peace,” said Mr. Sait claiming he had been offering prayers at Tipu’s tomb on his birthdays for the last several years out of reverence to him.
Prohibitory orders
Meanwhile, the Tahsildar of Srirangapatna Taluk Parashurama Sattigeri, who is also the taluk’s Executive Magistrate, has issued prohibitory orders from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on November 10 in areas falling under the limits of Srirangapatna Town Police station.
Among other things, the prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 had banned meetings, functions and processions, besides holding demonstrations or taking out rallies, putting up banners, buntings or flags and use of public address systems or bursting of crackers.
The prohibitory orders had been issued in view of the possibility of a large number of people gathering in Gumbaz for the occasion.
However, Mr. Sait, who is also the chairman of the Tipu Sultan Wakf Estate, said he did not face any difficulty in reaching Gumbaz and offering his tributes to the erstwhile ruler of Mysuru.
Mr. Sait, who was scheduled to participate in Tipu’s birthday celebrations organised as a private function in Mysuru later in the day, said efforts should made to protect the real history of the 18th-century ruler of Mysuru from distortion.
Tipu’s birthday in Srirangapatna on Dec. 1
Meanwhile, the Samana Manaskara Vedike of Mandya has decided to celebrate Tipu’s birthday in Srirangapatna, the erstwhile ruler’s capital, on December 1.
Vedike’s convenor Lakshman Cheeranahalli said new research on Tipu’s history has suggested that Tipu Sultan was born on December 1 and not on November 10 or 20.
Hence, the Vedike, which has been celebrating Tipu’s birthday for a long time under the aegis of Komu Souharda Vedike, will be organising the ruler’s birthday on December 1 this year.
He criticised the Mandya district administration for imposing prohibitory orders in Srirangapatna on Friday. “How can the administration prevent the celebration of birthday of a freedom fighter?”, he questioned.
