Karnataka Political Divide: Congress Pushes to Revive Tipu Jayanti Celebrations Amid BJP Opposition

The opposition responded with immediate criticism to the proposal.

On Tuesday, the contentious political and ideological debate surrounding Tipu Jayanti emerged once again when Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashapanavvar introduced a call-for-attention motion in the Karnataka Assembly, requesting the government to reinstate state-sponsored celebrations of Tipu Jayanti.

In an interview with NDTV, Kashapanavvar challenged the ongoing suspension of the event, stating, "Why shouldn't we have the celebrations? Is it wrong? This has nothing to do with appeasement. We started celebrating Tipu Jayanti in 2013. I am only asking that it be resumed. Aren't we celebrating the jayantis of other freedom fighters as well?"

Karnataka Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar supported the idea of reviving the celebration, asserting, "This is a secular country. What is wrong with celebrating Tipu Jayanti? It's just like the other Jayanti celebrations we observe in Karnataka. BJP is only interested in creating Hindu-Muslim issues."

The suggestion prompted swift opposition backlash.

R Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition, declared that the BJP would "definitely oppose" any governmental attempts to reintroduce Tipu Jayanti. "Congress will celebrate Tipu and even Bin Laden's birthday because of their love for Muslims and hate for Hindus," he remarked.

Tipu Jayanti was first officially established by the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah in 2015, intended to honor Tipu Sultan, the 18th-century ruler of Mysore renowned for his resistance against British colonialism. However, the celebration rapidly became a political flashpoint as communal tensions and confrontations were reported in Kodagu and other regions of Karnataka during the 2015 and 2016 events.

BJP and various Hindutva organizations accused Tipu Sultan of being a "religious persecutor," while Congress and progressive groups praised him as a "freedom fighter" and the "Tiger of Mysore."

In 2019, the BJP government officially discontinued Tipu Jayanti celebrations, citing concerns about law and order.

Since then, this issue periodically resurfaces, reigniting political and ideological divisions.