From Chamundi to Dharmasthala, Cong govt 'bending' traditions for appeasement politics: K'taka BJP

Bengaluru, Aug 29 (IANS) Amid controversy over Dharmsthala and Chamundi hills in the state, the Karnataka BJP on Friday said that the Congress government was "bending" traditions for appeasement politics.

Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, R. Ashoka, claimed that the Congress government knew that selecting International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq for inaugurating Dusshera festivities would stir controversy and hurt religious sentiments.

However, the state government still made the choice, just for vote-bank politics, he claimed.

He said that the Siddaramaiah government will have to answer "why it stained the spirit of the Dussehra festival - our Nada Habba - with controversy".

Ashoka further questioned: "Whose idea was to have Banu Mushtaq inaugurate the state's Nada Habba, Dusshera? Was it the Chief Minister's idea? Or one of his cabinet colleagues? Or was it perhaps the idea of the so-called intellectuals, the left-leaning urban Naxals who have been complicit in tarnishing the name of Dharmasthala as well?"

He pointed out that if Banu Mushtaq had been selected as the president of the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana (Kannada Literary Conference) next year, that would have had some meaning and would have brought her honour.

"But what connection does Banu Mushtaq has with Dusshera or Navaratri, festivals where Hindus worship and celebrate the various forms of Goddess Durga?" Ashoka questioned.

The BJP leader claimed that Banu Mushtaq has "refused" to worship Goddess Bhuvaneshwari. "What is the guarantee that tomorrow, no objections will be raised against placing Goddess Chamundeshwari on the golden howdah (ambari) atop an elephant," he asked.

Pointing out that in Indian culture, "we treat our motherland and rivers as female deities, revering them as mothers, Ashoka asked how appropriate it is to let someone who "lacks" respect or sensitivity for our land, water, and culture inaugurate a festival of this significance?

He termed the state government's decision an "insult" to millions of faithful devotees.

--IANS

mka/svn