Siddaramaiah slams Yediyurappa over Tipu Jayanti, says K'tka CM hates only one community

Former CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah has slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa over his decision to not to celebrate Tipu Jayanti in the state. On Friday, he said that the BJP leader was acting against only one community. Addressing a gathering at Hosur village, Siddaramaiah said, "Chief Minister Yediyurappa has a hatred for Muslims. I don't know why he hates that religion. I have started Tipu Jayanti as I started Kanakadasa Jayanthi and Kempegowda Jayanthi. Tipu was a king like other kings and he has fought four battles against the British. Why Yediyurappa hates only one community, it shows their communalism."

'I don't know why people vote for them' 

The Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly also elaborated upon the various schemes introduced during his tenure as the Chief Minister and asked for people to vote 'smartly'. "When I was the Chief Minister, I launched many Bhagya schemes. What did he do? People need to be smart. I don't know why people vote for them," he quipped. The BJP government in Karnataka had on July 30 decided not to celebrate Tipu Jayanti this year. An order in this regard was issued to the Kannada and Culture Department on a decision taken by CM Yediyurappa at a state cabinet meeting.

18th-century ruler of Mysore was a 'freedom-fighter'

Last year, a political controversy had erupted over Tipu Sultan birth anniversary between the then ruling Congress government and the BJP. The Congress government led by former chief minister Siddaramaiah was of the view that the 18th-century ruler of Mysore was a "freedom fighter" as he killed in the fourth Anglo-Mysore war and thus his birth anniversary should be celebrated.

READ | Karnataka bypolls : BJP government faces Assembly test as Congress-JD(S) eye comeback

READ | Karnataka CM Yediyurappa backs police action in Hyderabad encounter

BJP has no "moral ground" to stay in power

Siddaramaiah claimed on Thursday that the BJP does not have the "moral grounds" to stay in power in Karnataka, as he alleged that the Amit Shah-led party bought over 17 disqualified MLAs. "They (BJP) are the ones who came to power through the backdoor. They don't have the moral grounds to stay in power as Chief Minister and ministers. They formed the government by horse-trading, forcing the 17 people to resign, and destroying democracy," he told reporters at the district headquarters town of Gadag. Siddaramaiah's statement came despite Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's warning that he would file defamation suit against him and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy for making statements alleging that the 17 disqualified MLAs were bought over by his party.

READ | BJP has no "moral ground" to stay in power in Karnataka: Siddaramaiah

READ | Karnataka bypolls witness poor voter turnout; numbers show 27.19% turnout till 1 pm

(With agency inputs)