Tipu Sultan row: Deliberate act of violence by BJP, says Congress

Congress leader P.C. Chacko on Tuesday said it is a deliberate act of violence committed by the fringe elements of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the ongoing agitation against celebrating the 265th birth anniversary of former Mysore king Tipu Sultan.

"It is most unfortunate that one person was killed in this violence today in Karnataka. But this is a typical sign of intolerance from the side of the fringe element of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is a deliberate act of violence committed by the fringe elements of BJP.Even though the BJP was not associated with but the Hindu Sena, the Bajrang Dal and all these people were obstructing the celebration of Tipu Sultan's Birth celebration," Chacko told ANI here.

"In India , everyone should have the freedom to celebrate or to do any kind of functions which they do. Tipu Sultan's celebration is not something very new in Karnataka. The Karnataka govt will also have to take it seriously when people are taking law into their hands," he added.

The right-wing groups backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have described Tipu Sultan as 'most intolerant'.

Clashes erupted today after a Muslim group that was taking out a procession to mark the Karnataka government's Tipu Sultan Jayanti celebration through Madikeri town came face to face with Hindutva activists protesting against the celebration of the birth anniversary in the middle of the town.

The clashes went out of control as the protesters outnumbered the police presence on the ground.

Police later resorted to a baton charge to disperse the groups to bring the situation under control.

A 50-year-old activist of the right wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) got injured in the clash and died in the Madikeri government hospital today morning.