‘BJP doing politics on Dasara festival’: CM Siddaramaiah slams party’s ‘Chamundi Chalo’ Yatra

MYSURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of politicising the Dasara festival through its ‘Chamundi Chalo’ programme in Mysuru. Responding to the BJP’s Dharmasthala Yatra, Siddaramaiah asserted his Hindu identity and criticised the party for using Hindutva as political propaganda.

“The BJP is doing politics over the Dasara festival. They are organising the Chamundi Chalo programme in Mysuru. The BJP thinks that Hindutva will be strengthened and all Hindus will unite. I am also a Hindu. Haven’t we built a Ram temple in our town? Hindus are not about politics, propaganda or lying”, he said.

He added, “The BJP is engaging in politics during the Dasara festival. Does anything else come to them besides lying? People should not have such a mentality”.

ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯವರು ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಥಳಕ್ಕೆ ರಾಜಕೀಯವಾಗಿ ಯಾತ್ರೆ ಕೈಗೊಂಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅವರಿಗೆ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಲಾಭ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ಭಾವಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆದರೆ ಅದು ಸಿಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಥಳದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಮಗೆ ಅಪಾರವಾದ ಗೌರವವಿದೆ. ಎಸ್ಐಟಿ ರಚಿಸಿದಾಗ ವಿರೋಧ ಮಾಡದೆ ಇದ್ದವರು, ನಂತರದಲ್ಲಿ ಏನೂ ಸಿಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿದು ವಿರೋಧಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದು ಡೋಂಗಿತನ.… pic.twitter.com/f6wh2q5HsL

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 1, 2025

On the announcement of writer Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the Mysuru Dasara at the Chamundeshwari temple atop Chamundi Hills, the CM said, “Banu Mushtaq received the Booker Prize. how many people have received this award? The Dasara inauguration has been given to honour her”.

He further said politics will not have any effect on the Dasara festival. “Chamundi Hills may be the property of Hindus. Isn’t Dasara a national festival? A national festival means that everyone participates together. A festival celebrated by Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists together”, he said.

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah inaugurated the new building of PM Shri Karnataka Public School in Siddaramanahundi, his hometown in Varuna Assembly constituency. “The debt of the hometown will always be on me”, he said.

He recalled that the school where he studied from Classes 5 to 7 had been adopted by the Kempegowda International Airport Authority and rebuilt in collaboration with the Education Department. “I inaugurated the building with great joy”, he said.

Highlighting the facilities in the village, Siddaramaiah noted that primary, high schools and PU colleges were operational. “The degree course have not been opened due to a lack of students. But there are other facilities in the village like BCM hostel, veterinary clinic, library, and community health centre”, he added.

Taking a dig at the opposition, he remarked, “BJP, which has not seen the development activities of our government, knows nothing but lies”. On Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s statement that Chamundi Hills is not the property of Hindus, Siddaramaiah said, “The issue is not about Chamundi Hills, but about the Dasara festival”.

Minister K Venkatesh and officials of the School Education Department were also present at the event. (ANI)