Bengaluru, Sep 19 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the petition challenging the Congress-led government’s move to have Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurate the historic Mysuru Dussehra festivities.

Taking to the social media platform X, CM Siddaramaiah said, “I welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the petition filed against the state government’s move to invite Booker Prize-winning writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dusshera.”

“Mysuru Dusshera cannot be confined to a purely religious framework. From the beginning, we have said that it is a festival where people of all castes and religions come together to celebrate. Yet, systematic false propaganda was spread to divide society. Now, with the Supreme Court’s judgment, I believe our government’s stand has been upheld,” CM Siddaramaiah said.

“I hope Goddess Chamundeshwari grants good sense to those divisive minds that seek to sow seeds of caste and religious hatred,” he underlined.

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the Congress-led Karnataka government’s decision to have Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurate the historic and world-famous Dussehra festival in Mysuru city.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta remained unimpressed with the submission that a non-Hindu person cannot be allowed to perform pujas, particularly when the invitee, Banu Mushtaq, had in the past made certain objectionable remarks hurting religious sentiments.

Earlier on Thursday, Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai agreed to list the special leave petition (SLP) on September 19 after it was mentioned for urgent hearing.

The SLP before the Apex Court challenged the Karnataka High Court’s dismissal of the public interest litigations (PILs) that questioned the Congress-led state government’s decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Dussehra.

There is a tradition of offering floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari during the inauguration of Dussehra, and opposition has arisen to Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the festival.

Terming the decision of the Congress-led state government to invite Banu Mushtaq for the inauguration of Dussehra “incorrect”, the petitioners claimed that she has issued anti-Hindu statements and made remarks against the Kannada language.

–IANS

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