The inauguration of the annual Mysuru Dasara festival, a significant cultural event in Karnataka, was marked by an unexpected outburst from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday. The Chief Minister, visibly agitated, scolded a section of the audience for allegedly creating a disturbance during the event.
Eyewitness accounts and video footage confirm that Siddaramaiah, while on stage, addressed a specific group within the crowd, expressing his displeasure at their behavior. Reports indicate that he questioned their presence, suggesting they should have stayed home if they could not maintain order. He was heard saying in Kannada, "Can't you sit for a little while? Sit down. Who is that? If I tell you once, don't you understand? Why did you even come here? You should have stayed at home". Furthermore, he instructed the police not to allow them to leave, seemingly to ensure order was maintained.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of a larger controversy surrounding the choice of International Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq as the inaugurator of the festival. This decision faced opposition from BJP leaders and various groups after an old video resurfaced in which Mushtaq purportedly questioned the practice of treating the Kannada language as "Goddess Bhuvaneshwari," deeming it exclusionary to minority communities. Critics argued that inviting Mushtaq was an affront to tradition, as the festival traditionally commences with Vedic rituals and floral offerings to Goddess Chamundeshwari. Some went as far as accusing her of past "anti-Hindu" and "anti-Kannada" remarks, asserting that her involvement undermined religious sentiments.
Siddaramaiah defended the government's decision to invite Mushtaq, emphasizing that the Dasara festival is inclusive and not limited to a single religion or caste. He asserted that Dasara is a celebration shared by all, upholding the values of secularism, equality, and brotherhood enshrined in the Indian Constitution. He lauded Mushtaq's message of humanity as eye-opening and stressed that society should not be divided based on caste or religion for political gains.
Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, Siddaramaiah also inaugurated the Dasara wrestling competitions at the Sri D. Devaraj Urs Multipurpose Stadium. He motivated the participants in both traditional Nada Kusti (soil wrestling) and mat wrestling (Point Kusti) categories.
Despite the CM's efforts to promote unity, equality and secular values, the controversy surrounding Banu Mushtaq's participation and the CM's outburst reflect the challenges of balancing tradition and inclusivity in contemporary society.
