Banu Mushtaq Affirms Respect For Dasara Festival Amid Inauguration Row

Amid objections by BJP leaders over the Karnataka government’s decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the world-famous 'Mysuru Dasara-2025' celebrations, the International Booker Prize winner has affirmed her respect for the festival and Goddess Chamundeshwari. Multiple BJP leaders including its state President B Y Vijayendra and Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar had asked Mushtaq to Mushtaq clarify her reverence towards Goddess Chamundeshwari before consenting to inaugurate the Dasara.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier announced that Mushtaq would inaugurate the Nada Habba (state festival) Dasara celebrations in Mysuru, which traditionally begin with rituals at the Chamundi Hill temple. The objection has been raised due to her old video, where she reportedly opposed the alleged personification of Kannada language as a 'Goddess Bhuvaneshwari' who is seated in a throne inside a temple.

"It (invitation to inaugurate Dasara) is definitely a happy thing. We can see this in various ways. You call Chamundeshwari Taayi (mother Chamundeshwari), I respect your feelings. Many call it Naada Habba (state festival), I respect that too," Mushtaq said, after receiving a bagina (traditional offering) from a Bengaluru-based organisation 'Ammana Madilu' on Monday, PTI reported. 

She claimed that the festival is something that she likes and participates in with affection. 

Bengaluru South MP and Bharatiya Janayat Yuva Morcha national president Tejasvi Surya posted a video of her stating "I don’t know whether it will please or displease you but as a woman from the minority community, I will present before you my understanding about the Kannada language. You did not give an opportunity for Kannada to grow as a language, for Banu Mushtaq or her family to speak Kannada as a language.”

She said, "You turned Kannada (language) into ‘Kannada Bhuvaneshwari’. You presented her in yellow and red colours – the turmeric (Haldi) and vermillion (Kumkum)... Where should I stand? What should I see? How can I involve there? The process of keeping me outside did not start today but long ago..." The Kannada author asked the audience to ponder on this topic "because Yatra Naryastu Poojyante Ramante Tatra Devata (God resides where women are worshipped). God will be pleased if women are seated in a throne." "The way you trample, commit atrocities and inflict violence on women, here also you are committing similar atrocities on ‘Kannada Amma’ by seating her on a throne inside a temple. You are answerable to me," Mushtaq is heard saying.