Culturally, people of all religions participate in Dussehra festival: Karnataka CM

Mysuru (Karnataka), Sep 13 Commenting on the controversy over the Mysuru Dussehra inauguration by International Booker Prize awardee Banu Mushtaq, the Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah said on Saturday that the matter should be settled in court. He further stressed that culturally, people of all religions participate in Dussehra festival and it is not of any one religion.

Speaking to the media in Mysuru on Saturday, CM Siddaramaiah stated, "Culturally, people of all religions participate in Dusshera festival. Dusshera is a state festival, not limited to a single religion or community. Everyone from all castes and religions can participate."

He further said that if former BJP MP Pratap Singh tried to disturb peace, the police would take action.

Answering media queries about alleged delays in the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in the Dharmasthala case, the Chief Minister said there was no delay.

"The SIT is conducting its investigations independently, and the government is not intervening. There is no reason for unnecessary delay, and as far as I know, there is no delay," he said.

On the FIRs filed against BJP MLC C.T. Ravi and MLA Basanagouda Yatnal for allegedly making inflammatory speeches following the Ganesh Visarjan violence in Maddur town, the Chief Minister said that maintaining peace and public order is essential. Action would be taken against anyone giving provocative speeches and this is not a political matter.

In response to a question that the violent act was planned against Hindus, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he is "also a Hindu, and both the names Ishwar and Ram are part of my name."

Talking about the Ganesh Visarjan tragedy in which nine people were killed and 20 injured in Hassan district, CM Siddaramaiah stated, "The government providing compensation to the families of the deceased does not equate to equaling the death. Compensation is provided as a gesture of condolence to the bereaved families."

Reacting to BJP’s demand to increase the compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of those who died in the road accident to Rs 10 lakh, CM Siddaramaiah clarified that the government has already announced Rs 5 lakh.

The Chief Minister added that he has instructed Hassan incharge Minister Krishna

In response to a journalist’s question on whether the government is providing additional compensation since the deceased were mostly labourers and students, the Chief Minister said the government is providing Rs 5 lakh as compensation because the families of the deceased were economically backward.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur after nearly three years of the ethnic violence erupting in the state, the Chief Minister reacted by stating that the visit came only after the situation improved, not when the unrest was going on.

He questioned why the visit to Manipur was not made earlier during the unrest and said the visit was happening now due to Opposition pressure.

Regarding the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s objection to raising the Almatti Dam’s height by Karnataka, the Chief Minister said the court had already ordered in 2010 raising of the dam's height from 519 metres to 524 metres and now, after 15 years, the objection was being raised for political reasons.

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