Union Minister of State for Skill Development Anantkumar Hegde has created a fresh controversy by asking the Karnataka government not to invite him to events relating to celebration of the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan on November 10.
The minister has written a letter to the state chief secretary and the deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada directing them not to include his name in programme invitations to mark Tipu Jayanti.
"(I have) Conveyed (to) Karnataka government not to invite me to shameful event of glorifying a person known as brutal killer, wretched fanatic and mass rapist," Anantkumar Hegde tweeted Friday evening.
Reacting sharply to Hegde’s letter, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Hegde should not have written this letter as he was part of the government.
"As part of government, he shouldn't have written it. Invitation (for Tipu Jayanti celebration) will be sent out to all central and state leaders, up to them to accept or reject," Siddaramaiah said.
Justifying Karnataka government’s decision to celebrate the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, Siddaramaiah said that the 18th century ruler was a "freedom fighter” as he fought four wars against the British.
