‘Urban Naxals’ plan, executed by Congress’: Tejasvi Surya, right-wing leaders slam Mysuru Dasara invite to Banu Mushtaq

Expressing unhappiness over the Congress government’s decision, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya shared a clip circulated by right-wing groups to allege that Mushtaq’s selection was aimed at targeting the majority community.

The video showed Mushtaq’s speech, in which she says, “As a woman from the minority community, I will place my views in front of you about Kannada. I don’t know whether you will like it. You did not give an opportunity at all to grow Kannada as a language, for Banu Mushtaq or her family to use the language. You made Kannada into Kannada Bhuvaneshwari, a goddess, made a red and vermillion flag, and made her sit on a pedestal.”

She continued, “Where should I stand now? What should I see? How should I get involved? My expulsion did not start today. It started long ago and is culminating now,” she said, criticising the idolisation of the language. In the same way in which women are accorded divinity but are “later subjected to subjugation, harassment and torture, you are treating the language too in the manner,” she is heard saying in the video.

‘Banu Mushtaq should declare faith in Mother Chamundeshwari’

Taking to X, Tejasvi Surya posted, “The so-called Anti-Communal Task Force, the Hate Speech Bill, the Rohith Vemula Bill pushed at Rahul Gandhi’s insistence, the dubious Dharmasthala SIT, and now the Congress government’s decision to have Smt. Banu Mustaq – who has openly expressed her opposition to the worship of Kannada as mother Bhuvaneshwari, objected to the Hindu cultural symbolism associated with the Kannada flag – inaugurated the sacred Dasara Chamundeshwari Pooja – all these are not isolated moves.”

“They are part of a single, well-orchestrated game plan scripted by urban naxals and Marxists, executed with the full enthusiasm of Siddaramaiah and the Congress state government. We must see through this design and resist it with all our strength,” he wrote on Monday.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Surya later told PTI that though he was not opposed to anyone inaugurating Dasara, it was an important religious festival of Karnataka. “We only expect that whoever is called to inaugurate and offer first prayers to Chamundeshwari on Vijayadashami day (must) make their belief in Chamundeshwari public and clear,” he said.

Somebody who holds the devotion, faith and same reverence to the goddess should offer the first prayers, the MP said. Mushtaq should “declare her reverence, devotion and faith in Mother Chamundeshwari,” he said.

Considered to be a rationalist, Mushtaq was part of various movements fighting against religious orthodoxy among Muslims and other communities. She is the second Muslim to inaugurate Dasara in recent years. In 2017, writer and poet Nisar Ahmed inaugurated the festivities in Mysuru.

Others who highlighted Mushtaq’s video included right-wing activist Chakravarthy Sulibele, who sought to know how Mushtaq could inaugurate the festival when she could not “tolerate Kannada Bhuvaneshwari”.

MLA and firebrand Hindu leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal was among those who first triggered a debate on the issue. In a post on X, he said, “I personally hold respect for Banu Mushtaq madam as a writer and activist. However, her inaugurating Dasara by offering flowers and lighting the lamp to Goddess Chamundeshwari seems to be in conflict with her own religious beliefs.”

“Madam needs to clarify whether she continues to follow Islam, which emphasises belief in only one God and one holy book, or whether she now believes that all paths ultimately lead to the same moksha. Without such clarity, it does not appear appropriate…to inaugurate Dasara. She may certainly inaugurate cultural or literary events within Dasara festivities, but the religious inauguration of Dasara itself should be refrained from,” he said.

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra told reporters that the party would welcome Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara if she did so by accepting and believing in the traditions and practices of Hindu culture.”They should have invited Deepa Bhasthi too. Why did Siddaramaiah not think of inviting her?” he said.

BJP MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, who is a member of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, said, “She has achieved in the field of literature. I don’t have any opinion about choosing her. We are not opposed to (her inaugurating) if she respects goddess Chamundeshwari.”

On Monday evening, a news TV channel aired a video of Mushtaq offering bagina, a gift for auspicious occasions, as per Hindu traditions.

“Our religious practices are required for our spiritual growth, which we should practise at home as it is a personal act. In our public relationships, public life, for the development and unity of the country, we should all strive,” she said.

Mushtaq said that she respected those who revere goddess Chamundeshwari and those who considered Dasara as ‘Nada Habba’ (state festival). “Both Nada Habba and devotion for Chamundeshwari are part of our culture and state,” she said, adding that she had participated in the festival since she was young.

Artists and writers have traditionally been chief guests for the inauguration of the Dasara celebrations organised by the Karnataka government at Mysuru. The 10-day festival attracts nearly five million people to Karnataka’s heritage capital.

Editor's Choice

‘Bangladeshis can also be here (in Assam)’: Ex-Planning Commission member’s remark sparks firestorm in state, Himanta calls it ‘Jinnah’s dream’

‘On humanitarian grounds’: India alerted Pakistan about ‘high flood’ in Tawi amid suspension of Indus Waters Treaty

PM Modi’s degree is ‘personal information’, Delhi University does not have to disclose: High Court