"Dasara Not Secular": Row after Muslim author chosen to open Mysuru festival
Mangalore Today News Network
Bengaluru, Aug 25, 2025: The Karnataka government’s decision to invite Booker Prize-winning author and activist Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dussehra celebrations at Mysuru has sparked a row. BJP leader Pratap Simha has questioned why a Muslim will be invited to a religious event. The author has refused to comment on the BJP leader’s remark, but said she has been invited, and she would go.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that Ms Mushtaq will be inaugurating the Dussehra festivities in Mysuru this year. "Banu Musthaq, a writer from Hassan in Karnataka, will inaugurate the world-famous Dasara Mahotsav this year. The festivities will begin on September 22, and Vijaya Dashami will be observed on the 11th day, on October 2," he said.
"Banu Mushtaq’s literary work ’Hrudaya Deepa’ won the Booker Prize. It is a matter of pride and joy for us that a woman writer from Karnataka received this honour. Banu Mushtaq was associated with farmers’ organisations, Kannada agitations, and progressive movements. It is significant that a woman has been invited to inaugurate Dasara," the Chief Minister said.
"I have personally spoken to her. Our district administration will extend a formal invitation to Banu Mushtaq with full honours," he said.
Seventy-seven-year-old Mushtaq won the prestigious Booker Prize this year for her short story anthology. The 12 short stories written over three decades capture the daily lives of Muslim women in southern India and deal with patriarchy and gender inequality.
Former BJP MP Pratap Simha said he respects Ms Mushtaq’s achievements, but opposed the state government’s decision to get her to inaugurate Dasara festivities in Mysuru.
"I am definitely not raising this objection because you are a Muslim, we also have respect for your achievements, you have made contributions to literature, you have also won the Booker Prize, we all in Karnataka and india respect, love and take pride in it, but the Dasara celebration is not a secular event, it’s a religious celebration, we don’t have any objections to personal beliefs of Banu mushtaq, but Dasara is 100 per cent a reflection of our religion, it’s our festival," Mr Simha told the media.
"This tradition in Mysuru has been going on since the time of the Vijayanagara empire. Even today, rituals are carried out in the Mysuru palace. Since we are now a democracy, the state government organises Dasara, but it’s not an indicator of secularism; it’s a religious event that involves offering pooja to goddess Chamundeshwari," the BJP leader said. "Does Banu Mushtaq believe in Goddess Chamundeshwari? And does she follow our rituals?" he asked.
When media reached out to the author, she refused to comment on the BJP leader’s remarks. "I have been invited. Only the invitee has to comment on this." Asked if she would be inaugurating the festival, she replied, "Yes."
Amid the row, state BJP chief BY Vijayendra asked why the translator of Banu Mushtaq’s work was not invited to the inauguration. "We respect Banu Mushtaq, if she accepts Hindu religion and beliefs, if she comes to inaugurate, I can understand. But Deepa Bhasthi translated her work and both won the Booker Prize, but Siddaramaiah only invited Banu Mushtaq," he said.
Courtesy: NDTV