<p>The curtains have finally fallen on an unnecessary and divisive controversy surrounding the inauguration of the world-famous Mysuru Dasara. International Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq inaugurated the festivities on Monday, bringing an end to weeks of political drama and legal battles. </p><p>Both the Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court had already dismissed petitions seeking to revoke her invitation. The sustained opposition to her presence, spearheaded by BJP leaders, has once again exposed communal designs to derail even the most inclusive of state events.</p>.Messages on humanity, secularism, unity in diversity resonate at Mysuru Dasara inaugural.<p>Last week, the High Court dismissed former Mysuru BJP MP Pratap Simha’s petition, which accused Mushtaq of having made “anti-Hindu” statements, making her unfit to inaugurate the event. The court held that Mushtaq was an accomplished personality whose literary achievements made her a deserving guest. It also affirmed that the participation of someone from one faith in the celebration of another in no way infringed upon constitutional rights. </p><p>The Supreme Court not only upheld this decision but also delivered a sharp reminder of constitutional values. When the petitioner, H S Gaurav, argued that a non-Hindu could not conduct the inaugural <em>pooja </em>at the Chamundeshwari Temple, Justice Vikram Nath retorted by asking whether he had read the Preamble of the Constitution. </p><p>Highlighting the doctrine of secularism enshrined in the Constitution, the bench reiterated that the government cannot discriminate on religious grounds as Dasara is a State-sponsored event, not a private ritual.</p>.<p>The objections to Mushtaq’s invitation were built on the flimsiest of grounds. A statement she once made about Goddess Bhuvaneshwari was distorted and weaponised, but no one doubted that the real objection lay in her being a Muslim. This is disingenuous and dangerous. Mysuru Dasara has always been celebrated as Karnataka’s <em>Nadahabba</em>, the festival of the land. It has a long and inclusive history: Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan celebrated it, Diwan Mirza Ismail organised it during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar, and in 2017, poet Nissar Ahmed inaugurated it. Karnataka’s cultural heritage has always drawn strength from diversity. Kuvempu, the state’s poet-laureate, described it as <em>sarva janangada shantiya thota</em> – a garden where people of all communities live in peace. </p><p>Dasara is an embodiment of this vision, not a theatre for hate politics. Those who sought to divide have only succeeded in diminishing themselves. The courts’ verdict affirms that India's soul is secular, and its festivals embody pluralism. The divisive politics surrounding Mushtaq's invitation ultimately failed to overshadow the true spirit of Mysuru Dasara, a celebration of Karnataka's diverse heritage and the nation's commitment to secularism.</p>
<p>The curtains have finally fallen on an unnecessary and divisive controversy surrounding the inauguration of the world-famous Mysuru Dasara. International Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq inaugurated the festivities on Monday, bringing an end to weeks of political drama and legal battles. </p><p>Both the Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court had already dismissed petitions seeking to revoke her invitation. The sustained opposition to her presence, spearheaded by BJP leaders, has once again exposed communal designs to derail even the most inclusive of state events.</p>.Messages on humanity, secularism, unity in diversity resonate at Mysuru Dasara inaugural.<p>Last week, the High Court dismissed former Mysuru BJP MP Pratap Simha’s petition, which accused Mushtaq of having made “anti-Hindu” statements, making her unfit to inaugurate the event. The court held that Mushtaq was an accomplished personality whose literary achievements made her a deserving guest. It also affirmed that the participation of someone from one faith in the celebration of another in no way infringed upon constitutional rights. </p><p>The Supreme Court not only upheld this decision but also delivered a sharp reminder of constitutional values. When the petitioner, H S Gaurav, argued that a non-Hindu could not conduct the inaugural <em>pooja </em>at the Chamundeshwari Temple, Justice Vikram Nath retorted by asking whether he had read the Preamble of the Constitution. </p><p>Highlighting the doctrine of secularism enshrined in the Constitution, the bench reiterated that the government cannot discriminate on religious grounds as Dasara is a State-sponsored event, not a private ritual.</p>.<p>The objections to Mushtaq’s invitation were built on the flimsiest of grounds. A statement she once made about Goddess Bhuvaneshwari was distorted and weaponised, but no one doubted that the real objection lay in her being a Muslim. This is disingenuous and dangerous. Mysuru Dasara has always been celebrated as Karnataka’s <em>Nadahabba</em>, the festival of the land. It has a long and inclusive history: Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan celebrated it, Diwan Mirza Ismail organised it during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar, and in 2017, poet Nissar Ahmed inaugurated it. Karnataka’s cultural heritage has always drawn strength from diversity. Kuvempu, the state’s poet-laureate, described it as <em>sarva janangada shantiya thota</em> – a garden where people of all communities live in peace. </p><p>Dasara is an embodiment of this vision, not a theatre for hate politics. Those who sought to divide have only succeeded in diminishing themselves. The courts’ verdict affirms that India's soul is secular, and its festivals embody pluralism. The divisive politics surrounding Mushtaq's invitation ultimately failed to overshadow the true spirit of Mysuru Dasara, a celebration of Karnataka's diverse heritage and the nation's commitment to secularism.</p>
