No objection to Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Dasara: H D Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday said that he had no objection to Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurating Mysuru Dasara, a stand that deviates from his alliance partner BJP.

Kumaraswamy told reporters here that his objection was for the statement by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar who stated that Goddess Chamundi was not just the property of Hindus. "I have no objection to choosing Banu Mushtaq. But saying that temples are not just the property of Hindus is arrogance and that will cause big damage to the government," he opined.

Meanwhile, his son and JD(S) youth leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy has stated that the party has objections to Mushtaq's reservations on Kannadambe and other issues related to culture.

"We respect her and it is not that she should not inaugurate Dasara. Earlier, Nityotsava poet Nisar Ahmed had inaugurated (Dasara). Our only objection is for the reservations she has towards Kannadambe and other issues related to culture," Nikhil added.

Reacting to the Dharmastala issue, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy criticised the SIT probe as drama enacted by Congress government.

"The way the CM reacted to the case in the beginning itself by taking action on the first complaint, by constituting SIT was an insult to Dharmasthala. The government is doing drama in the name of SIT," he said.

He said Siddaramaiah had acted against the complaint filed by one Dwarakanath, because of pressure from people with leftist ideology.