Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka has waded into a massive controversy by inviting the International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq at the inauguration of the Mysuru Dasara festival.
World-renowned Dasara festivities are all set to begin from September 22 this year, with a grand inauguration ceremony at Chamundeshwari temple hill in Mysuru.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders allege that the Congress’ decision to invite Banu Mushtaq was clearly for playing up appeasement politics. BJP state president, B.Y. Vijayendra has slammed both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, stating they just wanted to please the Congress high command with their moves.
Vijayendra has also stated that while he found no fault with the invitation extended to Banu Mushtaq, why Deepa Bhasthi was not invited to inaugurate the Dasara. “Deepa Bhasthi was also conferred with the International Booker Prize for the translation of Banu’s work. Siddaramaiah could have invited both of them to inaugurate the Dasara festivities,” Vijayendra stated, adding, “Look at the statements coming from the Congress leaders lately, ridiculing the Hindu community and its traditions and heritage.”
Vijayendra was referring to the statement from D.K. Shivakumar, saying “Chamundeshwari Hill is not the property of Hindus alone.”
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje too criticised the move of invitation to Banu Mushtaq for inaugurating Dasara festivities by the ruling Congress. She even went to the extent of stating that it would be better if Banu Mushtaq herself withdrew from the invitation offered to her. The Union Minister also asked if Banu Mushtaq would be able to offer puja at the Chamundeshwari temple. There were also references made if Mushtaq were to embrace Hinduism, she could have very well been invited for the inaugural ceremony.
With reference to the statement from D.K. Shivakumar, Karandlaje asked, “Chamundeshwari temple does not belong to the Hindus, then who does it belong to? Does the Congress government want to give away that too as Waqf property?”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, remained firm on Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the Mysuru Dasara festivities, even as a group of pro-Kannada activists staged a protest on Friday, asking the state government to withdraw its decision to invite the International Booker Prize-winning author. The agitators also warned that they would hold black-flag demonstrations on the day of Dasara if the government went ahead with its decision. They claimed that the decision of Siddaramaiah had hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
Meanwhile, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysore royal family released a statement stating that the politics surrounding the holy Chamundeshwari temple and the Dasara festivities were deeply disturbing. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said, “The Karnataka government’s proposed Dasara celebrations this year, especially the politics surrounding the holy Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi Hills, are deeply disturbing. The selection of dignitaries invited to inaugurate this year’s Naada festival (Janata Dasara) has led to differences of opinion, and it is unnecessary to justify this by saying that the Chamundeshwari temple does not belong to the Hindu religion. Although the temple is worshipped according to Hindu religious customs, people of other religions have always been allowed to enter the temple and still do. If it was not a Hindu temple, it would never have been brought under the Muzrai Department.”
Mushtaq, who is at the eye of the storm in this controversy, said that she was more than happy to inaugurate the Dasara festivities and she was elated with the state government’s decision to invite her. Mushtaq said, “Reactions are being given by people. I don’t have to react to anything. There are certain subjects on which politics should be done and there are certain subjects on which politics should not be done. Politicians essentially should be mindful of these subjects.”
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that he had no objections to Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Mysuru Dasara, but objected to the statements by Shivakumar that Goddess Chamundi was not just the property of the Hindus. “I have no objection on choosing Banu Mushtaq. But saying that temples are not just the property of Hindus is arrogance and that will cause big damage to the government,” Kumaraswamy stated.
