Siddaramaiah responds to Hegde’s letter on Tipu Jayanti celebrations, says he fought wars against Britishers

Reacting to Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde’s letter asking to not include his name in Tipu Jayanti celebrations, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that invitation will be sent out to all central and state leaders and it is up to them to accept or reject it.   

Karnataka CM said that as part of government Anantkumar Hegde shouldn't have written it.

Siddaramaiah added that the whole issue has been made political and there were four wars against British and Tipu fought them all.

In a letter, Hegde claimed that Tipu was against Kannada language and was anti-Hindu. The BJP in Karnataka has been opposing State-sponsored Tipu Jayanti celebrations in previous years as well.

In 2016 November, Hegde was among those arrested in Uttara Kannada district for opposing the Tipu Jayanti celebrations.

BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje said that Tipu was anti-Kannada and anti-Hindu, all the Kannadigas are opposing it. Shobha added that she had told government that they shouldn't celebrate Tipu Jayanti from government's side but they are into vote-bank politics.