Bengaluru: The Karnataka authorities’s choice to ask Booker Prize-winning Kannada creator Banu Mushtaq as chief visitor at this yr’s Dasara festivities in Mysuru has sparked a political row, with a number of BJP leaders strongly opposing the thought of a Muslim particular person inaugurating a Hindu competition.

Leaders, like C.T. Ravi and Prathap Simha, and expelled get together legislator Basanagouda R. Patil (Yatnal), have voiced their opposition to the Siddaramaiah-led authorities’s choice, saying that they don’t seem to be towards Mushtaq, however solely her providing prayers to a Hindu goddess.

“We want to firmly reiterate that Dasara will not be merely a cultural occasion, however a Hindu Dharmic Utsava – rooted within the Shastra & Puranas and celebrated with grandeur because the days of the Vijayanagara Samrajya and the Mysuru Samsthana. Given this sacred legacy, it’s only applicable that Smt. Mushtaq make clear her reverence in direction of Tayi Bhuvaneshwari and Tayi Chamundeshwari earlier than consenting to preside as Chief Visitor of this yr’s Dasara celebrations,” he wrote.

Smt. Bhanu Mushtaq is a distinguished author in her personal proper and, as the primary Kannada creator to win the Booker Prize, she has introduced nice delight to the Kannada literary fraternity. Nevertheless, it has come to our discover that she has made sure previous remarks relating to Tayi… https://t.co/sOpoAS9vav

— Yaduveer Wadiyar (@yaduveerwadiyar) August 25, 2025

Simha mentioned in a social media submit that Mushtaq may be the president of a Kannada literary physique, however questioned if it was applicable for her to be a part of a Hindu cultural occasion.

On Monday, he posted a video clip of a speech by Mushtaq, the place she may be heard saying that the Kannada language is equated to a faith in an try and exclude minorities like her. He questioned how the author, “who doesn’t settle for Kannada because the goddess of the world”, might carry out worship for Goddess Chamundeshwari.

ಕನ್ನಡವನ್ನು ಭುವನೇಶ್ವರಿಯಾಗಿ ಒಪ್ಪದ ಈಕೆ, ತಾಯಿ ಚಾಮುಂಡೇಶ್ವರಿಯನ್ನು ನಾಡದೇವತೆಯಾಗಿ ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡು ಪುಷ್ಪಾರ್ಚನೆ ಮಾಡಿಯಾರೆ ಬೂಕರ್ ಭಾನು?

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ಜನ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಸಮ್ಮೇಳನ – ೨೦೨೩ ರಲ್ಲಿ ಬಾನು ಮುಸ್ತಾಕ್ ರವರು ಮಾಡಿದ ಭಾಷಣ. https://t.co/CBrf96yvHl pic.twitter.com/VPrRD9KHQJ

— Prathap Simha (@mepratap) August 25, 2025

Yatnal additionally posted Sunday that providing flowers and lighting the lamp to Goddess Chamundeshwari appears to be in battle with Mushtaq’s personal non secular beliefs.

“Madam must make clear whether or not she continues to observe Islam, which emphasises perception in just one God and one holy ebook, or whether or not she now believes that every one paths in the end result in the identical moksha..,” he mentioned in a submit.

I personally maintain respect for Bhanu Mushtaq madam as a author and activist. Nevertheless, her inaugurating Dasara by providing flowers and lighting the lamp to Goddess Chamundeshwari appears to be in battle together with her personal non secular beliefs. Madam must make clear whether or not she continues to…

— Basanagouda R Patil (Yatnal) (@BasanagoudaBJP) August 24, 2025

Nevertheless, Mushtaq won’t be the primary non-Hindu particular person to inaugurate the occasion.

The ruling Congress get together has mentioned that Dasara is not only a non secular occasion, mentioning that Sir Mirza Ismail, the Diwan of Mysore between 1926-41, had helped organise the competition, and in 2017, Poet Nissar Ahmed had inaugurated the occasion.

“That is our state, our neighborhood’s competition. It has been celebrated as a competition of unity for generations. There isn’t any motive to combine non secular issues or query participation based mostly on background,” Karnataka Dwelling Minister G. Parameshwara informed media individuals, including that the competition will stay inclusive.

The chief visitor at Mysuru’s Dasara kicks off a 10-day lengthy celebration that begins with 

choices to Goddess Chamundeshwari. Lots of of 1000’s of individuals attend the occasion yearly, with a number of points of interest like Pujas and rituals, and Jumbo Savari.

Mushtaq acquired the Booker Prize in Might this yr at a ceremony in London for her story assortment Hridaya Deepa (Coronary heart Lamp in English), together with Deepa Bhasthi, who translated her work to English.

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)

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