Udupi: The issue of celebrating Tipu Jayanti figured prominently in the general body meeting of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat here on Tuesday with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members and the Opposition Congress taking contradictory stand on the issue.

Raising the issue, Sumeet Shetty (BJP), member, said that the Zilla Panchayat should pass a resolution opposing the Tipu Jayanti celebrations being organised by the State government. People too were opposed to these celebrations. Three persons had died opposing the Tipu Jayanti celebrations last year and such an incident should not recur this year, he said. Another member, Marali Pratap Hegde (BJP), said that Tipu Sultan was not a freedom fighter and he had only fought personal wars for the expansion of his kingdom.

Janardhan Tonse (Congress), said that the Zilla Panchayat could not discuss the issue as it came under the domain of the State government. Besides, the Congress was not opposed to the Tipu Jayanti celebrations, he said. Gowri Devadiga (Congress) said that the issue of participating in the Tipu Jayanti celebrations should be left to the people.

Mr. Tonse said that some senior State-level BJP leaders had participated in the Tipu Jayanti celebrations earlier and this had been published in a section of the press. This led to heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches. Mr. Tonse said that the ruling BJP could pass a resolution because it had a majority, but the objection of the Congress to that resolution should be included.

Intervening, Shivanand Kapashi, Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat, said that the matter did not come under the domain of the Zilla Panchayat and hence, a resolution on it could not be passed.

Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLC, said that even if the resolution could not be passed, the opinion of the Zilla Panchayat members on the issue should be recorded. “Later, you can decide on the rules and regulations governing the passage of the resolution,” he said.

Dinakar Babu, president of the Zilla Panchayat, Sheela K. Shetty, Vice President, were present.