BJP MLA refuses to attend birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan

BJP MLA from Belthangady Harish Poonja Thursday asked the Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil not to invite him for the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan, a ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, on November 10.

In a letter to Senthil, a copy of which was released to the press here, Poonja said his name and designation should not be used in the invitations.

The MLA said he was writing the letter in the context of the decision of the Karnataka government to celebrate the Tipu Jayanti at the state, district and taluk-levels.

Celebrating the jayanti of a ruler who killed many Hindus and Christians during his regime amounted to betrayal of the people of the State, he said in the letter.