Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah terms BJP’s opposition to Banu Mushtaq’s Dasara invitation politically motivated.
Vijayapura
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed criticism over inviting writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate this year’s Mysuru Dasara, describing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s objections as “purely political.” Speaking to reporters at Almatti in Vijayapura district on Saturday, he said the government would counter such opposition through political means.
The Chief Minister pointed out that there was no controversy when poet Nissar Ahmed presided over the festivities earlier, nor was there resistance during the eras of Tipu Sultan or Mirza Ismail. On former MP Pratap Simha’s petition challenging the invitation in the High Court, Siddaramaiah said the judiciary would determine the outcome.
Rejecting allegations that Mushtaq insulted “Kannadambe,” he stressed there is no evidence to support such claims. Mushtaq’s Kannada work, translated into English, earned the prestigious Booker Prize, he noted, adding that the State had already honoured both the author and translator Deepa Basti. “As a distinguished Kannada writer, she has every right to inaugurate Dasara,” he said.
Addressing separate issues, Siddaramaiah confirmed that the government intends to establish medical colleges and hospitals in all districts in phases, with Vijayapura’s proposal under consideration. Following Union guidelines, the colleges would involve private participation but offer treatment at government-approved rates.
He also assured measures for a lasting solution to recurring floods in the Malaprabha (Bagalkot) and Doni (Vijayapura) rivers. To avoid disputes linked to Electronic Voting Machines, the State will recommend to the Election Commission that local body elections be conducted using ballot papers, citing global examples where nations have returned to paper voting.
