Even as preparations are underway for the world-famous Mysuru Dasara 2025 celebrations, a political war erupted over the secular character of the festival, with the BJP asserting that it is a religious event.
Mysuru Dasara 2025, 'Naada Habba' or the state festival of Karnataka, will be celebrated from September 22 to October 2 this year. The festival will feature an elephant march or Gajapayana, extended palace illumination, cultural programmes and the traditional Vijayadashami procession known as Jamboo Savari. This year's festivities will also feature an air show by the Indian Air Force.
The controversy
The row began when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq, who hails from Hassan in Karnataka, will inaugurate this year's Mysuru Dasara celebrations. "The inauguration of the world famous Dasara this year will be done by International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq. Her story collection Hridaya Deepa' (Heart Lamp) got her the prize. A woman from Karnataka getting the International Booker Prize is a happy occasion," Siddaramaiah said.
Mushtaq won the International Booker Prize along with Deepa Bhasthi, who translated the title from Kannada to English.
The BJP was quick to criticise the move, saying she is not the right person to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara as it is a religious festival.
BJP MLC C.T. Ravi said it is inappropriate for a person whose faith is uncertain to preside over a religious ceremony, while BJP MP Tejasvi Surya demanded that the writer should declare her faith in goddess Chamundeshwari.
Karnataka LoP R. Ashoka claimed that Dasara is a festival of Hindus and sought to know why those who oppose Hindus worship Chamundeshwari. He accused the CM of having a "Tipu mentality."
BJP state OBC Morcha president R. Raghu Kautilya claimed that Mushtaq and translator Deepa Basti equally deserve honours at the Dasara festival and alleged that inviting only Mushtaq is showing the Congress government's partiality.
Meanwhile, one of her old speeches where she said minorities are hesitant to embrace Kannada because it is "celebrated" as Kannada Bhuvaneshwari has gone viral.
Congress claims Dasara is secular
A host of Congress leaders came out to defend the government's move to invite the writer for the inauguration, saying Mysuru Dasara is a state festival.
Minister H.K. Patil claimed that Dasara is for all as it is a state festival. Calling it a "good decision" by the government, he said it is unfortunate that some people are playing politics over the issue.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara reiterated that Mysuru Dasara is a state festival, a community festival of the people in the state. He claimed that there is no reason to mix religious considerations or question participation based on religious background. He cited the instance of poet K.S. Nissar Ahmed inaugurating the event and the active participation of Mysore Diwan Ismail during the festivities.
Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain noted that Mushtaq is a literary figure and a very progressive writer from the state. "If she is being invited for inaugurating any event, nobody should have a problem. I think if somebody is commenting on her, it is purely keeping in mind her religious background."