Opposition to Tipu Jayanti a conspiracy by communal forces: CM

November 8, 2015

Bengaluru, Nov 7: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday defended his government’s decision to celebrate the birth anniversary of the 18th century legendary king Tipu Sultan (1750-99) and termed the opposition to it as a “conspiracy” by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other communal forces, to disturb harmony in society.

Several individuals and organisations including Christian outfits in Mangaluru have opposed the government’s move to celebrate the event on November 10, with a few threatening to even disrupt the first-ever such government celebration.

“The opposition (to Tipu Jayanti) is engineered by communal forces ... Tipu Sultan was secular, he fought against the British in three wars. In a sense, our freedom struggle began with the Anglo-Mysore wars between the English and Tipu,” the Chief Minister told presspersons after participating in a Bharat Scouts & Guides Day event.

Mr. Siddaramaiah went on to say that Tipu being called a fanatic, or claims that he indulged in mass conversions is “baseless”. He said that his contributions to Sringeri Mutt, Nanjangud temple and Ranganatha Swami temple contradict this claim. “Only a secular person can do it. So, the government has decided to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti,” Mr. Siddaramaiah added.

“Left with no other issues to criticise the government,” the opposition RSS and right-wing scholars have been criticising the government’s decision, he said, adding it should have been celebrated by the government long ago.

The RSS on Friday said it would lend its support to protests against the event. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had earlier threatened to oppose the celebrations.

The birth anniversary celebrations, sponsored by the government, is to be attended by noted writer Girish Karnad, former vice-chancellor and historian Sheik Ali, writer Baragur Ramachandrappa, Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj, historians Talakadu Chikkarange Gowda and N.V. Narasimhaiah.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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