Mysuru royal family scion urges writer Banu Mushtaq to clarify comments on Kannada, Goddess
Mysuru(PTI): BJP MP and the scion of Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar on Friday urged International Booker prize winner Banu Mushtaq to clarify her position on the Kannada language and Goddess Chamundeshwari.
The MP’s demand follows the Karnataka government's decision to invite Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festival this year, which involves rituals dedicated to Goddess Chamundeshwari. It has led to a controversy with the BJP questioning the choice of the state government.
Mushtaq won the prestigious award this year for the book ‘Heart Lamp: Selected Stories’, translated to English from her Kannada book ‘Edeya Hanate’ by Deepa Bhasthi.
Wadiyar demanded that Banu clarify her 2023 comments about the Kannada language.
In the viral video, Banu Mushtaq had reportedly said the practice of elevation of Kannada language to the status of Goddess and placing it inside a temple was exclusionary.
"We have not received any clarification yet. We have heard that she has said she has no problem in worshipping Goddess Chamundeshwari. If that’s true, then we don’t have any problem," the BJP MP told reporters in Mysuru.
Banu should clarify her stand because Chamundi Hill is a religious place and she would be required to worship the Mother Goddess, he said.
"We will welcome her if she accepts the background of religious rituals involved during the event. She has to first clarify why she said that (in 2023). It will be good if she withdraws her statement because it is a matter that has hurt the Hindu religious sentiments," Wadiyar said.
The MP said that while he welcomes the government's choice of Mushtaq, a clarification is needed before she participates in the religious ceremonies of the Dasara festival.
"It’s an obvious question because she has to explain that her action will not hurt Hindu sentiments during the cultural and religious event. She has to offer an explanation because this is a matter related to religion and the Kannada language. Kannada state and Kannada language is the Goddess, who is associated with Goddess Bhuvaneshwari," the MP said.
On Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s statement that Chamundi Hills and Goddess Chamundeshwari are not exclusive property of Hindus, Wadiyar called it the "most irresponsible".
“Chamundi Hill is very much a Hindu religious place and is one of the Shakti Peethas. Rishi Markandeya had installed the statue of Goddess here. There are traditions, which are all related to Hinduism,” the MP said.
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Karnataka approves AI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru's Electronics City
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has approved the establishment of a CoE for AI in Biotechnology at IBAB in Electronics City (Phase 1), here.
The decision, taken by the state Cabinet on Thursday night, marks a significant step towards strengthening Karnataka’s leadership in emerging technologies, IT and biotechnology, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said on Friday.
The centre will be established over four years with a total outlay of Rs 20 crore, in partnership with the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), according to a statement from the minister’s office.
"Karnataka has consistently been at the forefront of technological innovation. As we enter the decade of deep tech, our focus is on building future-ready capabilities at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology," Minister for IT and Biotechnology said.
"This Centre of Excellence will strengthen our research ecosystem, accelerate innovation and enable Karnataka to lead in high-impact next-generation technologies," he added.
Priyank added that the state government, through the Departments of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology, and Science & Technology, is actively investing in emerging technologies and taking steps to strengthen Karnataka’s AI and deep-tech ecosystem.
The minister said the Cabinet has also approved the transfer of a 51 per cent stake in the Karnataka Technology & Innovation Museum Foundation (KTIMF) to the Unboxing BLR Foundation.
KTIMF was established by the Government of Karnataka as a not-for-profit organisation to promote innovation, technological awareness, startup culture and public engagement in science and technology, aligned with the state’s vision of building a robust innovation ecosystem, he said.
The Technology & Innovation Museum will be developed at the NGEF campus in Baiyappanahalli, Bengaluru, under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with a total project cost of Rs 100 crore. Of this, Rs 49 crore will be contributed by the state government and Rs 51 crore by the private partner, he said.
