Tipu Sultan row: VHP stages protest, mocks Siddaramaiah

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a protest against the ongoing violence in Madikeri over the birth anniversary celebrations of 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan in front of the town hall here on Friday.

The protestors raised VHP flags and carried placards showing a morphed image of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in a typical Muslim beard and cap.

The agitators also burnt an effigy of Siddaramaiah and raised 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans.

One of the VHP activists, while addressing the gathering, said that organising the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan by the state government was a deliberate attempt to insult people of Kodagu, who had rebelled against the 18th century Mysore ruler.

"It was all done in a planned manner to insult people of Kodagu and disrupt peace in the region. It claimed Kutappa's life," he said.

On Tuesday, a local VHP leader, Kutappa, had died and several others were injured in the violence that erupted over the holding of the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan.

Streets and markets in several parts of Karnataka bore a deserted look due to the bandh called by VHP today.

In Mangalore, section 144 of the CrPC (prohibits an assembly of more than ten people in an area) has been enforced for three days and only a few private vehicles were seen on roads. With the auto rickshaw protest, people are compelled to walk to their destinations as public transport is not available.

Tight security is in place as police vehicles have been moving around the city, warning the people through the public address system mounted on vehicles not to form crowds or take out demonstrations.