The protests against Tipu Jayanti celebrations have intensified after theatre artiste Girish Karnad remarked that the Bengaluru airport should be renamed after Tipu Sultan, reports said.
Following Karnad's remark, the protests have heated up and spread across Bengaluru, Mysuru, Madikeri, Mangaluru and other districts in southern Karnataka, said reports.
Several saffron outfits including the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have continued to organise protests against celebrations of Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary, saying that he was not a patriot, but an anti-Hindu tyrant.
Karnad has been in the forefront of the celebrations and said the Kempegowda International Airport should be renamed after the erstwhile Mysuru ruler as he was born in Devanahalli, where the airport is situated.
Following Karnad's remark, the protests have heated up and spread across Bengaluru, Mysuru, Madikeri, Mangaluru and other districts in southern Karnataka, said reports.
Though Karnad apologised for his controversial statement on Wednesday, the right-wing outfits have decided to continue the demonstrations to protest against the government for organising the celebrations.
In Srirangapatna, the protesters blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway and burned effigies of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said reports. They also destroyed portraits of Karnad, slapping the portraits with chappals and tearing them apart.
On Tuesday, two people including a VHP activist were killed during the protests.
