BJP stages protests ahead of Tipu Jayanti; security tightened in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Nov 9: A day ahead of 'Tipu Jayanti', the BJP Friday staged protests against Karnataka government-sponsored celebrations for the birth anniversary of the controversial 18th century ruler of erstwhile Mysore kingdom, Tipu Sultan.
The party, which has appealed to the government to drop the celebrations, staged demonstrations at several places including Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kodagu, in the state.
The JDS-Congress coalition government led by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, last week, had said Tipu Jayanti would be celebrated on November 10 in continuation of the previous Congress government's policy, prompting the BJP to announce protests.
However, Kumaraswamy is not scheduled to attend main function here to be inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara.
The Chief Minister's Office in a statement said Friday that Kumaraswamy would not take part in any official function for the next three days in view of "doctors' advice."
On the advice of doctors, the chief minister will take three days rest till November 11. He will spend time with family on these days and there will be no official engagements on these days, it said.
Minister for Minority Welfare, Haj and Wakf B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan said the chief minister had told officials before hand that he would be away for medical check-up and hence, his name should not be mentioned in the invitation.
Police said security has been tightened at sensitive places, including Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Kodagu.
An official said the function in Bengaluru would be held at the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of the state legislature, as the original venue, in view of representations to the government from Muslim community leaders.
Parameshwara, who also holds the Home portfolio, had on November 5 announced that the venue had been shifted to Ravindra Kalakshetra here on advice of the police department owing to security reasons.
He had said strict action would be taken against anyone causing riots or disturbing peace.
Tipu Jayanti celebration events should be organised indoors and posters and banners would be allowed there only, he had said, adding that social media posts would also be monitored and action would be taken if they were derogatory.
The previous Congress government, led by Siddaramaiah, began celebrating "Tipu Jayanti" on November 10 every year since 2015, amid stiff opposition by the BJP, several Hindu organisations and some individuals.
Widespread protests and violence had marred the celebrations during the first two years.
BJP leaders, including former deputy chief minister R Ashok, B Y Raghavendra and MLC Ravi Kumar, took part in the agitation here and accused the state government of "hurting" the sentiments of Hindus only to appease Muslims.
They said Tipu was accused of killing thousands of people in Kodagu and Mandyam Iyengars of Melukote near Mysuru.
Tipu was a tyrant and a religious fanatic. Those who tried to exalt him suffered huge losses, BJP MP Pratap Simha claimed.
The BJP also took a dig at Kumaraswamy's absence in the event.
Party spokesperson S Prakash quipped that the chief minister was avoiding taking part in Tipu Jayanti.
Tipu was a ruler of Mysore and considered an implacable enemy of the British East India Company.
He was killed in May 1799 while defending his fort at Srirangapatna against the British forces.
While BJP and some Hindu outfits see Tipu as a "religious bigot" and a "brutal killer", some Kannada outfits call him anti-Kannada, saying that he had promoted Persian at the cost of the local language.
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3rd T20I: A three-match 'audition' starts for Gill to find his game back
Dharamsala (PTI): The countdown to save his place in the playing XI begins for a beleaguered Shubman Gill, who is likely to get three matches against South Africa to prove his worth before the Indian team management switches to a ‘Plan B’ ahead of the T20 World Cup, starting in six weeks.
As India gear up to play the third T20I against the Proteas on Sunday in sub-10-degree temperatures in the lap of the ice-clad Dhauladhar range, things are suddenly heating up in the Indian dressing room, with the prolonged poor form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav coming under the scanner.
ALSO READ: South Africa level series after de Kock special; Gill, SKY misfire again
Worse, his deputy Shubman Gill, who was pushed into the XI at the expense of a settled Sanju Samson, is not inspiring much confidence.
The South African pace attack featuring Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Ottniel Baartman and Lutho Sipamla — has shown how to bowl on Indian tracks, and the HPCA Stadium strip, offering extra bounce and some movement off the surface, will certainly keep them interested.
Among all T20 sides, South Africa, in terms of personnel, appears to have the requisite balance to win the trophy in the Indian subcontinent this time. Quinton de Kock’s return, along with the likes of Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, David Miller and all-rounder Jansen, gives their batting an intimidating look.
With only eight games, starting from the third T20I, left before the start of the T20 World Cup title defence, India's under-fire head coach Gautam Gambhir won't be able to afford, two out-of-form top-order batters in the starting line-up.
Being the skipper of the side, Surya will certainly have immunity going into the T20 World Cup despite being completely out of form for the past one year but same can't be said about Gill, who wasn't the original choice as an opener.
Gill's entry into the T20 set-up was a classic case of trying to fix something that ain't broken and things haven't looked good so far.
In this backdrop, Gill would need to bat out of his skin to prove that Ajit Agarkar-led committee wasn't wrong in throwing Samson under the bus for one bad series against England.
The stylish Indian Test and ODI skipper will have to find his T20 game and at least score in two of the three matches if he doesn't want Samson to get his rightful place back or for that matter, find Yashasvi Jaiswal, with a fabulous T20I strike-rate of 165, enter the fray during New Zealand series.
Lack of clarity
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While head coach Gambhir is too proud a person to admit but sending Axar Patel as a one drop batter during the second T20I was a "tactical brain fade" from the team's think-tank.
The kind misstep that was taken with Axar's promotion is unlikely to be repeated in the third game where skipper is expected to go back to No.3 where he has got a lot of success in his first few years at the international level.
Similarly, Shivam Dube being sent at number eight due to the shuffling of batting order was another poor call which would need course correction in the next game.
Is there a place for Kuldeep Yadav?
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Kuldeep Yadav is one bowler who has consistently troubled the Proteas batter but in an Indian team where batting till No. 8 is non-negotiable, the left-arm wrist spinner often finds himself getting the rough end of the stick.
At Dharamsala too, he might have to sit out as Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy, two non-batters can't be clubbed in the same T20 playing eleven as that would lead to compromise in batting depth.
While Arshdeep hasn't had a good series so far, it will be interesting to find if team management can find a place for Kuldeep in the playing eleven with Hardik Pandya sharing the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah.
The five-match series is currently tied 1-1.
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Verma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde.
Match Starts at 7 pm.
