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Girish Karnad offers apology on Tipu Sultan issue, protests continue in Karnataka

by IBNS 11 Nov 2015, 08:00 pm

Bengaluru, Nov 12 (IBNS) Jnanapith awardee kannada litterateur Girish Karnad has apologised for his remarks on naming the Bangalore international airport after city founder Kempe Gowda even as protests against him by right wing forces continues in Karnataka.

“I did not intend to hurt anyone. I apologise if I have hurt anyone’s feelings, as I was only expressing my opinion about Tipu Sultan on his birth anniversary,” Karnad told reporters in Bangalore on Wednesday after protest demonstrations were held and rallies were taken out against him in many cities and towns across the state.

Besides the  BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad  Bajarang Dal and other political, social and religious organisations criticised Karnad for saying on Tuesday at a function that the “airport should have been named after Tipu than Kemp Gowda, as the 18th century ruler was a patriot and a freedom fighter”.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the VHP activists burnt chief minister Siddaramaiah’s effigies and blocked Bangalore-Mysore highway in Srirangapatnam.

The protesters were demanding action against the chief minister for organising Tipu Sultan Jayanti and compensation to a 50-year-old VHP supporter who died duringTuesday’s protests.