Congress welcomes HC decision on Dasara opening, BJP says will bring law on coming to power

The Karnataka High Court on Monday dismissed petitions challenging the state government’s decision to invite International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate this year’s Mysuru Dasara festivities, prompting sharp political sparring between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bhakru and Justice C.M. Joshi declined to entertain four public interest litigations, including one filed by former BJP MP Pratap Simha, ruling that the petitioners had failed to establish any Constitutional or legal violation. The Mysuru district administration had formally invited Mushtaq on 3 September.

The move has been controversial, with BJP leaders and their supporters arguing that Dasara — traditionally opened with Vedic rituals and floral offerings to goddess Chamundeshwari — should not be inaugurated by someone they accuse of having made “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Kannada” statements in the past.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of communal politics. “They (BJP) say Banu Mushtaq should not offer prayers on Chamundi hill, she should not inaugurate Dasara as she is from another religion. I don’t understand them. We are living in a secular system and the Constitution clearly says that there should be equality… despite so many years after independence, still some vested interests are behaving like bigots. This should be condemned by the entire society,” he said at an event.

Taking aim at Simha without naming him, the CM added: “If a former Lok Sabha member doesn’t know the Constitution, what should we say?... such fools are there in our country. There are other issues to do politics, I won’t say they shouldn’t do it, because in a democracy, opposition’s views should also be respected and that’s the essence of democracy. But, misleading people is condemnable.”

Deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar echoed the sentiment, stressing that the government’s decisions were constitutional. “Let Pratap Simha and other BJP leaders read the Constitution properly. The courts also function in accordance with the Constitution and it has given its verdict… justice has flown from the seat of justice. We bow down to the court,” he said.

Shivakumar also suggested that Simha’s petition was driven by political insecurity: “Probably because he was not given a ticket by his party during Lok Sabha polls, to show that he is alive in politics, he is making some efforts. Best wishes to him.”

Simha, for his part, expressed disappointment. “I had approached the court expecting justice on the matter of Hindu belief, but the court has rejected my PIL using the word secularism and on the basis that Banu Mushtaq has the right to speech and right to decent,” he said. He cited her 2023 statement questioning the worship of Kannada as Goddess Bhuvaneshwari and the use of arishina (turmeric yellow) and kumkuma (vermillion red) on the Kannada flag as evidence of disrespecting local traditions.

Leader of opposition R. Ashoka warned that if the BJP came to power, it would enact legislation governing Dasara. “The court’s decision may be in connection with the government’s stand that the festival organised by it is a Nada Habba (state festival) and the government has the right to invite anyone it chooses for inauguration. There is no legislation as to how Dasara should be held. Hence, the petitions have been dismissed by the court. We will bring in a law (on coming to power),” he said.

He also attacked Siddaramaiah’s government: “Dasara is organised according to Hindu traditions and as per the Panchanga (Hindu calendar). After Siddaramaiah coming to power, there is a Taliban government, they are sidelining Hinduness in it. So, a law has to be brought in for this purpose… if a Muslim can come and inaugurate the Dasara, despite it not being accepted in their religion, why can’t Hindus inaugurate Muslim festivals?”

The Dasara celebrations in Mysuru will begin on 22 September and conclude with Vijayadashami on 2 October. The inaugural ritual involves showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari at the Chamundi Hills temple, accompanied by chanting of Vedic hymns.

Objections to Mushtaq’s selection gained momentum after an old video resurfaced in which she appeared to criticise worship of the Kannada language as exclusionary. Mushtaq has since clarified that her remarks were taken out of context, claiming her speech was selectively edited to make it appear controversial.

With PTI inputs