Bengaluru, Sept. 11 -- Politics in Karnataka is rarely short of drama. This week, the spotlight turned to Tiptur in Tumakuru district, where Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara inaugurated the Rani Abakka Rath Yatra and Panjina Parade organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
At one level, it seemed like just another cultural event honouring a historical figure. But the symbolism of a senior Congress leader, long known for his sharp criticism of the BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), sharing a stage with the RSS' student wing has triggered heated debate across political and ideological lines.
The ABVP's Rath Yatra was dedicated to Rani Abbakka, the 16th-century warrior queen of coas...