Security has been tightened across Karnataka on Friday to ensure peaceful celebration of the state-sponsored Tipu Sultan Jayanti in honour of the erstwhile Mysore ruler amid protests by the right-wing opposition.

The Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka has been celebrating the birth anniversary of the 18th century Mysore ruler for the past three years to honour him as a freedom fighter. Tipu Sultan died fighting the British. Right-wing Hindu groups are, however, opposed to the celebrations as they see Tipu Sultan as a barabaric ruler who carried out forceful conversions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and various right-wing organisation are against the festival.
“Vigil has been stepped up across the state to maintain law and order and ensure peace for the Tipu festival. Processions and protest rallies against the Jayanti (fest) have been banned.

“Liquor sale also banned for the day,” Additional Director General of Police Kamal Pant told reporters.

“About 200 platoons of the Karnataka State Reserved Police (KSRP), City Armed Police and City Armed Forces (CAR) and 6,000 Home Guards have been deployed in sensitive areas till Saturday morning,” Pant said.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar told , “We are not giving permission to any procession, whether it is in favour of Tipu Jayanti or against it. The government itself is celebrating the event in various parts of the city for which we have made elaborate arrangements.”

He said 30 Karnataka State Reserved Police (KSRP) platoons and 25 armed platoons, besides policemen and officers of city police will be deployed. “There will be more than 11,000 policemen all over the city. Besides the regular police, we will deploy Home Guard personnel,” Suneel Kumar said.

No procession will be allowed in the city that is related to Tipu Jayanti, except for the one organised by the state government, police said on Thursday.