‘Not right to oppose this’: G Parameshwara backs Mysore Dasara inauguration by Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq

MYSURU: Congress leader and  Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday defended the state government’s decision to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the ‘Mysore Dasara’ festival 2025 and urged critics not to communalise the event.

Speaking on the controversy, Parameshwara told mediapersons, “It is not right to oppose this. This is not a religious issue. Dasara is a national festival.” He stressed that Dasara celebrations represented Karnataka’s heritage and culture, and not just a religious practice.

Karnataka Minister HK Patil also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying this is one of the good decisions that the government has taken, and the BJP should reconsider their thought process.

“Dasara is for all. It is a state festival. It is unfortunate that some people are trying to play politics…Nobody should do politics in this. This is one of the good decisions that the Government has taken. I feel that they (BJP) reconsider their thought process,” Patil told reporters.

Mysuru | On the BJP questioning Booker winner Banu Mishtaq to inaugurate Mysore Dasara festival, Karnataka Minister G Parameshwara says, “It is not right to oppose this. This is not a religious issue. Dasara is a national festival.” pic.twitter.com/YzZnOZcCdX

— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2025

Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain praised Banu Mushtaq for her achievement and said that nobody should have a problem with the decision.

“Banu Mushtaq is a literary figure. She has been awarded Booker Prize. She is one of the very progressive writers of our state. If she is invited to inaugurate an event, nobody should have a problem. I think somebody is commenting on her; it is purely keeping in mind her religious background,” the Congress MP said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA R Ashoka hit out at the Siddaramaiah government, alleging that the Chief Minister had insulted Hindu traditions by allowing Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the festival.

The BJP MLA said that the chief minister has a “Tipu mentality” and is “tarnishing the Hindu religion”.

“Dasara is a festival of Hindus. In Islam, idol worship is forbidden. If Banu Mushtaq does this, her religion will be opposed…Why should those who oppose Hindus worship Chamundeshwari? The Siddaramaiah government is tarnishing our religion. They are trying to tarnish it in a way. Siddaramaiah has a Tipu mentality,” the BJP MLA said.

Banu Mushtaq, an Indian writer and women’s rights activist, scripted history by winning the International Booker Prize for the short story anthology Heart Lamp in 2025. It is the first Kannada book to win honours in London. Originally written in the Kannada language, the stories in Heart Lamp were translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi. (ANI)