Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Kodagu were held on Saturday amidst protests by the BJP, whose activists raised slogans against the event. The protests forced the police to take more than 170 activists, including the 3 BJP legislators, into custody.
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There were reports of protests from across the district. Police took 174 persons into custody in connection with it, even as normal life in large parts of the district was affected due to the bandh called by the BJP.
In Madikeri, where the main Government function was held, BJP legislators Appachu Ranjan, and Sunil Subramani raised slogans against Tipu Jayanti during the inauguration ceremony, following which the Congress supporters raised slogans in support of it.
Police, which was present in large numbers at the event as a security measure, stepped in and whisked away the BJP activists from the scene due to the resulting tension.
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Though the district in charge Minister S.R. Mahesh was to have officially inaugurated the event, he was conspicuous by his absence. Madikeri TMC president Kaveramma Somanna inaugurated the event but she did not address the gathering. The main speaker Chatahalli Mahesh, spoke about Tipu Sultan and his contributions, after which the programme ended. The entire event was over in less than 30 minutes.
Madikeri had witnessed violence against Tipu Jayanti in 2015 which had resulted in the death of an VHP-RSS activist named Kutappa whose family members took part in a ritual at Sri Omkareshwara temple.
A few pro-Hindu outfit groups tried to gather at the venue to take out a procession but were rounded up by the police. At Virajpet, the local MLA K.G.Bopaiah who led the protests, was taken into custody along with his followers.
Though most of the Government offices and public institutions like banks were closed on account of it being the second Saturday of the month, the bandh called by the BJP resulted in business establishments remaining shut.
The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 till Sunday, according to the Kodagu DC Sreevidya, who said that the situation in the district was peaceful.
Over 2000 police personnel were deployed to thwart untoward incidents. The authorities had also installed over 200 CCTV cameras while 20 check posts were in place to monitor the movement of vehivles and people, she said.