Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara is right decision, people have accepted it: Siddaramaiah
Mysuru, Sep 22 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday strongly defended his government's decision to invite International Booker Prize winner writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara, and said majority people of the state have accepted it, and it has brought respect for the state.
He said Dasara is not a festival of any one religion or caste, it is a festival of all. It is "Nada Habba" (state festival), the festival of the people.
The famous 11-day Dasara celebrations commenced in this city of palaces on Monday amid religious and traditional fervour, with Mushtaq inaugurating it.
The inauguration took place amid controversy, with objections from some sections against the government's decision to invite Mushtaq.
"Banu Mushtaq may be a Muslim woman by birth, but she is a human being first. Humans should love and respect each other and there should be no hate based on one's caste and religion, as it is not the characteristic of humanity," Siddaramaiah said.
Addressing the gathering after the inauguration of Mysuru Dasara, he said, "If we accept humanity, we should accept people belonging to any caste, religion or class --participating in the celebration of Nada Habba. Majority of the people of this state have accepted Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara."
"Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara this year is a right decision and it is something that has brought respect for Karnataka. So I congratulate Mushtaq on behalf of the people and the government," he added.
Pointing out that the High Court and Supreme Court have taught proper lessons to those who approached them opposing the government's invitation to Mushtaq to inaugurate Dasara, the CM said, courts have asked them to read the preamble of the Constitution.
"Everyone should understand that our Constitution is secular. We are a society where there is unity in diversity, irrespective of our religion and castes, we are all Indians. Those who are opposed to the Constitution try to distort it, such people are selfish," he said.
Appreciating Mushtaq's inaugural address, Siddaramaiah said, even he cannot speak like her.
"She has spoken aptly and meaningfully in the given situation, being a poet, writer and the inaugurator. I hope everyone has understood her message. Probably she has opened the eyes of even those who opposed her, even those who opposed her are happy internally," he said, as he lauded her work being part of a farmer organisation, as an activist, Kannada writer and poet.
The controversy opposing the government's decision to invite her, stems from allegations that Mushtaq has made statements in the past that are perceived by some as "anti-Hindu" and "anti Kannada".
Critics argue that her selection for the festival, which traditionally begins with Vedic rituals and floral offerings to Goddess Chamundeshwari, disrespects religious sentiments and long-standing traditions associated with the event.
Objections have been raised by BJP leaders and others to the state government's decision to invite Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dasara festivities, following an old video that went viral, in which she has reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping the Kannada language as "Goddess Bhuvaneshwari", stating that it was exclusionary to people like her (minorities).
Several BJP leaders had asked Mushtaq to clarify her reverence towards Goddess Chamundeshwari before consenting to inaugurate the Dasara. However, Mushtaq, on her part, has said that her statement has been distorted by making selective parts of her old speech go viral on social media.
Noting that Dasara celebration was started by kings of the Vijayanagara empire and after its collapse, Mysuru kings under Raja Wadiyar I started celebrating it in 1610 started, the CM said, Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan too celebrated Dasara during their rule over Mysuru in Srirangapatna.
He said, "People should know the history. By distorting history, doing things for the sake of selfishness and politics is an unpardonable offence. Whoever it is, no one should do politics in such matters. If you want to do politics, do it during the election. Unnecessarily, politics should not be done out of hate or to appease someone."
The Dasara festival this year will be an eleven-day grand event. There have been good rains this year, dams are filled and people of the state are happy, Siddaramaiah said.
He also listed out the success of his government's five guarantee schemes.
"The Karnataka government believes in secularism and equal rights and opportunities for all," he added.
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Om Birla attends swearing-in of new B'desh PM, says India stands ready to support BNP govt
New Delhi (PTI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday attended the swearing-in ceremony of new Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka, and said India stands ready to support Bangladesh's endeavours to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation.
Separately, the speaker called on the new Bangladesh prime minister and conveyed the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He also handed over an invitation from Prime Minister Modi to Rahman to visit India, officials said here.
“Glad to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka today. India stands ready to support Bangladesh’s endeavours to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation,” Birla posted on X.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, said in a post on X, “Prime Minister Tarique Rahman conveys his greetings to India and PM Narendra Modi to the visiting India Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at a courtesy meet following the swearing-in of the new government.
“Speaker Birla conveyed wishes and an invitation to India. Both leaders expressed optimism to work together for the well-being of the people of Bangladesh and India, pursuing a people-centric menu of cooperation.”
Birla also met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and other leaders on the sidelines of the event.
Led by Rahman, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept to power with a two-thirds majority with 49.97 per cent votes and 209 seats in the polls held on February 12, results for which were declared on February 13.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, which was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971, registered its best-ever performance with 31.76 per cent votes and 68 seats.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) secured the third-highest number of seats, six, and 3.05 per cent votes.
Bangladesh had invited Narendra Modi to the ceremony, but the prime minister could not attend the event as he was scheduled to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on Tuesday.
On reaching Dhaka, Birla said the swearing-in of Rahman was an important moment that would strengthen people-to-people relations and shared democratic values between the two neighbours.
“Honoured to be in Dhaka representing India at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government led by Tarique Rahman as the prime minister. It's an important moment that will strengthen people-to-people ties and shared democratic values between our two nations,” Birla said.
Birla was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials.
