Naaveddu Nilladiddare urged the state government not to bow down to any conspiracies or pressures from such forces, and to firmly continue with the selection of Mushtaq.
Published Sep 11, 2025 | 10:03 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 11, 2025 | 10:03 PM
Naaveddu Nilladiddare extend support to Banu Mushtaq. (Supplied)
Synopsis: The Karnataka government has earlier invited Mushtaq, who won the Booker Prize 2025, for the English translation of Heart Lamp, to inaugurate the famed Naada Habba Mysuru Dasara festival. Following which, Opposition in the state, BJP raised objection.
Naaveddu Nilladiddare, a network of women’s organisations along with eminent Kannada writers and intellectuals on Thursday, 11 September, extended their support to Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq, amid controversy over her inaugurating Mysuru Dasara.
The group including Dr Vasundhara Bhupathi, Dr Akkai Padmashali, Dr Sunandamma, Dr R Poornima, and Dr N Gayatri addressed the press conference, and noted, “Unfortunate that the opposition is using a joyous occasion of Dasara that brings the whole state together, to play its highly divisive and communal politics.”
They further urged, “The Mysuru Dasara festival has a history of nearly four centuries. After India’s Independence, when the government stopped royalty to the royal family, Mysuru Dasara was declared the ‘State Festival’ in 1973. Since then, it has become a festival that belongs to the entire population of Karnataka, representing all sections of society. It is a celebration that showcases the cultural diversities of the state. We have been celebrating this festival without any discrimination.”
“Banu Mushtaq is undoubtedly the most appropriate choice to inaugurate a festival celebrating and honouring both the culture of this land and her contribution to enriching it. Opposing her on the basis of religious beliefs is an affront to our culture of coexistence,” the group said.
They further said that no one raised any objections in 2017 when Kannada poet Nisar Ahmed was invited to inaugurate Dasara and rightly so. “It is highly regrettable that now when a distinguished woman writer, lawyer and leader from the same marginalised community who has brought pride and honour to Karnataka and Kannada has been invited to inaugurate the state festival, the opposition party is creating this absurd controversy that has brought shame to the state.”
The Karnataka government has earlier invited Mushtaq, who won the Booker Prize 2025, for the English translation of Heart Lamp, to inaugurate the famed Naada Habba Mysuru Dasara festival. Following which, Opposition in the state, BJP raised objection.
The Hindu Jagarana Vedike also had announced that it would hold a “Chamundeshwari Chalo” rally on Tuesday, 9 September, opposing Mushtaq’s inauguration of the Dasara celebrations.
Naaveddu Nilladiddare however urged the state government not to bow down to any conspiracies or pressures from such forces, and to firmly continue with the selection of Mushtaq.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Anisha Reddy)
