Karnataka HC says Dasara as a secular festival

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a group of public interest litigations (PILs) that challenged the state government's choice of Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq as the chief guest for the upcoming Dasara Festival in Mysuru.

The petitions, filed by BJP leader Prathap Simha and others, had asked the government to withdraw its invitation to Mushtaq. The petitioners argued that because she is not a Hindu and has allegedly made comments against the Kannada language, she should not be allowed to open the festival, which includes religious ceremonies.

After reviewing the arguments, a division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi rejected the petitions. The court stated that having a person from a different faith inaugurate a state-organized event does not violate any constitutional or legal rights. The court also noted that the Dasara Festival is a "secular function" where all people can participate. The bench indicated that a detailed order would be issued later.

The Advocate General, Shashikiran Shetty, urged the court to dismiss the petitions, calling them a "myopic view" that was trying to create a Hindu-Muslim divide. He pointed out that in the past, one of the petitioners, Prathap Simha, had shared a stage with another non-Hindu invitee, poet Nisar Ahmed. He emphasized that the selection of the chief guest is made by a committee that represents all sections of society