Bengaluru, Aug 26 Responding to criticism by the BJP leaders over Booker award winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the historical Dusshera event, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said on Tuesday that Chamundi Hills in Mysuru is open to visit by people of all religions.
"People from every community visit the Chamundi Hills and offer prayers to the Goddess Chamundeshwari. It is not the property of Hindus alone," the Deputy Chief Minister added.
Dusshera is inaugurated traditionally by offering floral tributes and conducting worshipping of Goddess Chamundeshwari atop the Chamundi Hills.
Deputy CM Shivakumar also said, "We go to mosques, dargahs, Jain basadis, churches, and gurdwaras. Has anyone ever stopped us from entering gurdwaras? Have we ever opposed them coming to Hindu temples? Anyone can visit any place of worship."
"Have people of other faiths not converted to Hinduism?" the Congress leader asked.
"Many Hindus have converted to Islam, Christianity, and many from other religions have become Hindus. Don't Muslims also participate in Hindu rituals? Why is there no board in Ayodhya saying that only Hindus may come to take darshan of Lord Ram? When the BJP was in power in Karnataka, and even now, why haven't Haj committees and Minority departments been abolished across the country? This is all politics," Shivakumar claimed.
"Ours is a secular nation. Our Constitution has provided opportunities and freedom for everyone. The Constitution guarantees protection to all. Everyone has faith in their own beliefs. Children born to Muslim or Christian women and Hindu men from other religions follow whichever faith they choose," he said.
Countering the objections raised against the Congress-led Karnataka government's decision to invite Booker Prize awardee Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the upcoming Dussehra festivities in Mysuru, State Minister for Public Enterprises Sharanabasappa Darshanapur defended the move, saying that the state government has not invited terrorist Osama bin Laden.
Earlier, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje had stirred controversy by appealing to Banu Mushtaq to stay away from inaugurating the historic Dussehra festivities in Mysuru.
Union Minister Karandlaje objected to the Congress-led Karnataka government's decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dussehra event.
She said, "One who does not believe in the Hindu religion and does not follow the custom of idol worship -- what will they do by attending the Dussehra inauguration?"
Amid the row, the Congress-led Karnataka government, on Monday, extended an invitation to Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the historical Dussehra event.
Government representatives visited the house of Banu Mushtaq in Hassan city and accorded a traditional welcome by presenting her "Bagina" (a gift given on auspicious occasions in Kannada culture comprising of bangles, flowers, banana fruit, turmeric and vermillion).
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