Court stays release of book comparing Siddaramaiah to Tipu Sultan

BENGALURU: A city civil court on Monday ordered a stay on the release of a book titled ‘Siddu’s real dreams’, akin to a book by a similar name, ‘Tipu’s real dreams’, written by Rangayana director Addanda Cariappa.

The book was to be released at 3 pm at the Town Hall on Monday, but the court ordered a stay till the next date of hearing on February 9. Varuna MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, had filed the petition seeking a stay on the book’s release.

Reacting to the development, Siddaramaiah said he was not aware of it. “To the jaundiced eye, everything looks yellow. Wasn’t it B S Yediyurappa who wore a Tipu constume and posed with a sword? And who wrote the foreword for the book on Tipu Sultan by Sheik Ali? Such double standards won’t do”, he remarked. Stating that the book release was plannned to defame him, he said, “Let us see what happens legally”.

Earlier, in the day, Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan was scheduled to release the book and author Rohit Chakrathirtha, journalist Santhosh Thammaiah, Samvada editor Vrushanka Bhat, writer Rakesh Shetty and BJP SC/ST Morcha president and MLA Chalavadi Narayana Swamy were to participate.

It was widely being speculated that the book compares Siddaramaiah’s alleged anti-Hindu stance with Tipu’s anti-Hindu approach, and highlights wooing of Muslims, organising Tipu Jayanti programmes, special schemes for children of minorities, Shadi Bhagya scheme, withdrawal of cases against SDPI and PFI workers, his stance on the hijab and azan row while ignoring the attacks on Hindus, glorification of Tipu Sultan in school textbooks while portraying his as a freedom fighter among other issues.

Meanwhile, as a counter to the book, Siddaramaiah’s supporters released a poster highlighting the work undertaken by his government including setting up Indira Canteens, Anna Bhagya scheme. A huge crowd had also assembled at Town Hall to oppose the release of the book and the police had made tight security arrangements.