Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 9: The state level Tipu Jayanti function being held at Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha here on Saturday November 10 will be presided over not by the chief minister(CM) but by his deputy, Dr G Parameshwar. Strangely, the invitation card printed for the occasion does not have the name of the CM on it.

JD(S) had maintained distance from Tipu Jayanti celebrations when it was opposing the Congress. Now because of the coalition Dharma, it cannot oppose the celebrations but in all probability, its leaders might try to keep away. If sources are to be believed, Deve Gowda's family has come to believe that showing reverence towards Tipu Sultan brings them bad luck.

There are people who believe that any association with Tipu Sultan brings them doom. They cite the examples of Vijay Mallya's fate after acquiring Tipu's sword in an international auction, Sanjay Khan, who almost died during the shooting for the tele serial, 'The Sword of Tipu Sultan', and Siddaramaiah, who had to sacrifice the post of the chief minister after celebrating Tipu Jayanti.

It is widely believed that the JD(S) leaders, if any of them participate in the celebrations, would be doing so purely because of coalition compulsions. It may be recalled that Kumaraswamy had warned those opposed to Tipu Jayanti including BJP that the trouble makers would be sternly dealt with. However, he himself is absenting from the state level function.

Even several senior Congress leaders including ministers, it is gathered, believe that Siddaramaiah unnecessarily embraced controversy by beginning Tipu Jayanti celebrations. They confide that if they abruptly stop the celebrations now, they would be branded as anti-Muslim. Sensing this, the government has allowed no public programmes, but only functions in halls attended by limited people in district headquarters. BJP has decided to observe 'Black Day' on Saturday, accusing Tipu of Hindu massacre, destruction of temples and mass conversions.

Many Congress workers had cited celebration of Tipu Jayanti as the cause for the defeat of party candidates in the recent assembly poll, particularly in coastal belt and Malnad.