President's Speech His Own, Siddaramaiah Says On Tipu Sultan Row

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that the speech delivered by President Ram Nath Kovind to the state legislature in which he hailed Tipu Sultan was his own and accused the BJP of trying to give it a "political colour".

Mr Siddaramaiah questioned "How can a President read state's speech? Is it a joint session address?" as a political slug fest erupted over the reference to Tipu Sultan in the president's address to mark the golden jubilee of the Vidhana Soudha, which houses both houses of the legislature.

The Congress government is holding the "Tipu Jayanti" celebrations on the birth anniversary of the 18th century Mysore ruler on November 10.

The BJP has opposed the celebrations tooth and nail as it sees Tipu Sultan as a "religious bigot" and a "brutal killer".

After the president's address, BJP alleged that the state government had "misused" the office of the president by getting Tipu's name mentioned in the speech while the Congress said the opposition party should be "ashamed" for levelling the charge.

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Mr Siddaramaiah said, "It is his (President's) speech and he has said what is true. The BJP is trying to distort facts and giving it a political colour. It is highly condemnable and deplorable."

Reminding about BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar praising Tipu while in power, Mr Siddaramaiah asked, "Do they have two tongues?"

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"Congratulations to Hon. President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind for a statesman like address to the Karnataka legislature. @rashtrapatibhvn," Mr Siddaramaiah also tweeted on his personal Twitter handle.

Reacting to the allegations, state Congress Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao said the BJP should be "ashamed".

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He said "by trying to say that president has just read out a speech written by somebody, they are insulting the office of the president and the president."