Bengaluru: The High Court on Thursday disposed off a public interest litigation (PIL) and directed the petitioner to make a representation to the state chief secretary, asking him to consider the objections raised and pass an order in next five days with regards to the celebrations of the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile Mysore ruler.

“The court disposes off the public interest litigation and directs the petitioner to make a representation to the chief secretary to consider the objections raised and pass an order by November 8 with regards to the celebration of the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan,” Chief Justice Subrho Kamal Mukherjee, who is presiding over the Division Bench, said.

Justice R B Budhihal is the other member of the bench. Justice Mukherjee on Wednesday had questioned government’s logic behind celebrating Tipu Jayanti by observing he wasn’t a freedom fighter, but a monarch who fought to safeguard his interests.

Justice Mukherjee also had questioned the logic behind celebrating Tipu Jayanti amid fears of communal tension escalating in Kodagu district and other parts of the state.

He also had observed that last year’s celebrations had resulted in a law-and-order situation after protesters resorted to violence. The PIL was filed by South Kodagu- based K P Manjunatha challenging the state government’s move to celebrate Tipu Jayanti.

Sajan Poovaiah, counsel for the petitioner, said Tipu was a tyrant ruler who killed people belonging to many communities, including Kodavas, Konkanis and Christians.

However, public counsel M R Naik defended the celebrations, saying Tipu was a great warrior who fought against the British.

The Congress government’s decision to observe the birth anniversary of the 18th century ruler of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom has stirred a major controversy, with opinion sharply divided among intellectuals, academia and different communities and organisations.

Tipu Jayanti, to be celebrated across the state on November 10, is being observed since last year following a government decision, which had triggered a major row and caused violence in Kodagu district last November.

RSS had stated recently it opposed the celebration and would stage protests against it as the ruler of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom was a “religious bigot and a violent sultan”. BJP has also expressed its strong opposition to ‘Tipu Jayanti’.