Visit to Chamundi temple pending to fulfil vow: Banu Mushtaq

Hassan: Even as a section of the people creating controversy over the selection of International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq for Nada Habba Dasara inauguration, she said her visit to Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple was pending and the opportunity to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara will help her fulfil a vow.

"One of my writer friends in Mysuru had prayed for Goddess Chamundeshwari, when my name was nominated for the Booker Prize and took a vow of visiting the place, if I won. Later, I went to Mysuru to participate in the Mysuru Literature Festival. My friend told me that we will go to Chamundi Hill and fulfill the vow. As there was a shortage of time, I could not go then. Now, Goddess Chamundeshwari has called me", she said.

Earlier, Banu Mushtaq had said, “I will not talk about the controversy. Crores of Kannadigas are giving so much love. Why should I respond to the negativity of a few people? I don’t think it is necessary."

"There should be opposition and ruling parties in politics. But politicians should know which issue to politicise,” Banu said indirectly retorting the BJP leaders.

She told this to Hassan district Kannada Sahitya Parishat members, on Tuesday. “I wish that the generation of people like Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar increase in the BJP. They should analyse the issues with balance and speak. Only such educated and cultural minds can do it. It is not easy to get an award like the ‘Booker Prize’. A few have even spoken about it lightly. I am not bothered. They speak up to their standards. Let them do it,” she said.

In response to a video clip, that is being circulated against her, Banu said, “Some people have been levelling allegations against me, by circulating a fragment of my speech at the Jana Sahitya Sammelana in 2023. That was on keeping Muslim writers away at Haveri Sahitya Sammelana. I expressed my voice for the minorities, Dalits and women. Everyone understood the point. I had said that you have treated it emotionally, instead of using Kannada as a language. You have made it into a goddess and kept her on the throne. Then we can just fold our hands. When you consider Kannada as a language, we have to read it. Do not question the language. We should use it as our language.”