Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 19 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss a petition challenging the state government's move to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the state-sponsored Dasara Mahotsav at the Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru.
In a post on X, CM Siddaramaiah shared, " I welcome the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss the petition filed against the state government's stance of inviting Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq for the inauguration of Mysuru Dasara. Mysuru Dasara cannot be confined to a religious framework. We have consistently maintained that it is a festival celebrated by all the people of the state, transcending caste and religion. However, systematic misinformation was spread against this, and attempts were made to divide society. I believe that the Supreme Court's verdict has now validated our government's position."
"I hope that Mother Chamundeshwari grants wisdom to those divisive minds that sow the seeds of discrimination based on caste and religion," he added.
Earlier, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the matter, saying the preamble says we are secular, and this is a state programme, and the state can't distinguish.
The advocate for the petitioner contended that Puja inside the temple is not a secular act and it's part of the ceremony. He said the Karnataka government's decision to allow a non-Hindu to perform 'Agra Puja' at the Chamundeshwari temple for the inauguration of Dasara in Mysuru would hurt Hindu sentiments.
On Thursday, counsel sought an urgent hearing of the appeal against the High Court order saying non-Hindus can't perform the 'Agra Puja'.
On September 15, the Karnataka High Court had dismissed the petitions challenging the government's decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dasara mahotsav at Karnataka's Chamundeshwari temple, which is on September 22.
The High Court had said that the participation of a person practising a particular faith or religion in the celebrations of festivals of other religions does not offend the rights available under the Constitution of India.
It has been noted that the festivities are organised by the state every year, and accomplished persons, such as scientists, educationists, authors, and freedom fighters, have been invited in the past.
The appeal filed in the apex court stated that the High Court erred by not appreciating the fact that for the inauguration of Dasara in the premises of the Goddess Chamundeshwari temple, a puja has to be performed, which cannot be performed by a non-Hindu.
The pooja must be performed as per Hindu devotional and ritual, and the pooja is the inauguration of the traditional ten-day celebrations of the Dasara festival, the petition said.
The Chief Guest invited by the state is non-Hindu, and as such, she cannot perform rituals before the deity, which is against established Hindu religious and ceremonial practices, it added.
"The High Court erred by not appreciating the fact that the inauguration of Dasara Mahotsav by a non-Hindu is against the basic rules of Agama Shastra, and the Agama rules are a part of the Hindu religious faith, and in departure from the traditional rules of worship, it would result in the disturbance of the purity of the ceremony and the divine spirit of the deity, and the belief system of the entire Hindu community would be affected.
The High Court erred by not appreciating the fact that since the time of the Wodeyar dynasty and continuing to the present day, the inauguration of the Dasara festival has always been performed by a Hindu dignitary, as the ceremony involves offering puja, invoking sacred mantras, and participating in religious rites as prescribed by Hindu tradition, the appeal added.