SC Upholds Karnataka Govt’s Invite to Banu Mushtaq for Mysuru Dasara
New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a petition questioning the Karnataka government’s invitation to author Banu Mushtaq as chief guest for the upcoming Mysuru Dasara celebrations.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the plea filed by Bengaluru resident H S Gaurav, who had challenged the Karnataka High Court’s September 15 order upholding the state’s decision.
“This is a state programme…how can the state distinguish between A, B and C,” the bench remarked, questioning the purpose of the litigation.
Senior advocate P B Suresh, representing the petitioner, argued that the invitation violated Article 25 of the Constitution as the programme included rituals such as puja inside the Chamundeshwari Temple, which could not be considered secular. He further submitted that a non-Hindu’s participation in these ceremonies would contravene Agama Shastra practices.
The bench, however, rejected the argument, noting that the state had the authority to decide on its official events.
Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had dismissed similar pleas, ruling that the invitation did not violate constitutional rights.
The petitioners had claimed that Mushtaq’s past remarks on Kannada and Hindu traditions questioned her suitability for the role.