Why only Banu Mushtaq and not Deepa Bhasthi to inaugurate Dasara? BJP to Karnataka govt

Bengaluru, Aug 28 (PTI) Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Thursday questioned the Congress government's decision to exclude Deepa Bhasthi, who shared the International Booker Prize with litterateur Banu Mushtaq, for inaugurating the world famous Mysuru Dasara 2025.

His comments come after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced that Banu Mushtaq will inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara 2025 celebrations.

'Heart Lamp', a collection of short stories by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada to English by Deepa Bhasthi, won the 2025 International Booker Prize for 2025.

They both received the prize in May at a ceremony in London.

"When the International Booker Prize was awarded to Banu Mushtaq along with Deepa Bhasthi, why only Banu Mushtaq? Why did Siddarmaiah not feel that both the writers should be invited?" Vijayendra asked.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Of course, we respect Banu Mushtaq for the work she has done in the field of literature. We also respect Deepa Bhasthi. Why only Banu Mushtaq and not Deepa Bhasthi along with her to inaugurate Dasara? If anybody is doing politics in this issue, it is the Congress party, CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, not BJP." Dasara celebration will begin in Mysuru from September 22 and culminate on 'Vijayadashami', which falls on October 2.

Responding to a question about the BJP having a problem with Mushtaq being invited to inaugurate Dasara, Vijayendra said, "The problem is not with the BJP, it is with the mindset of the ruling Congress party." "Recently, I saw Deputy CM D K Shivakumar's statement regarding Chamundi hill. The statement of Congress leaders nowadays, every statement of theirs is an insult to the Hindu community, customs, traditions and beliefs," he added.

BJP leaders have raised objections to the state government's decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dasara festivities after an old video went viral.

In the video, Mushtaq has reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping the Kannada language as "Goddess Bhuvaneshwari" and has stated that it was exclusionary to people like her (minorities).

Several BJP leaders, including its state President B Y Vijayendra and Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, on Monday asked Mushtaq to clarify her reverence towards Goddess Chamundeshwari before consenting to inaugurate the Dasara.

However, Mushtaq, on her part, has claimed that her statement has been distorted by making selective parts of an old speech of hers go viral.

Targetting D K Shivakumar, the BJP state chief said he can stoop to any level to occupy the Chief Minister's chair.

Vijayendra also alleged that the Deputy CM apologising for the recital of the RSS prayer song in the Assembly is only to keep his "masters in Delhi" happy.

"RSS prayer song is all about respecting and saluting mother India, nothing else... it is Shivakumar and Congress high command who are doing dirty politics, not BJP," he added. PTI KSU ROH