Siddaramaiah loses cool at Mysuru Dasara inauguration amid controversy over chief guest

A video from the event shows the CM pointing at audience members and rebuking them for alleged unruly behaviour.

“Can’t you sit for a little while? Sit down. Who is that? If I tell you once, don’t you understand? Why did you even come here? You should have stayed at home,” Siddaramaiah was heard saying in Kannada.

He then instructed the police: “Don’t let them go. Can’t you sit for half an hour or an hour? Then, why are you attending this function?”

Festival in controversy

This year’s 11-day Dasara celebrations were already under the spotlight after the state government invited International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq as the chief guest.

The move sparked protests from BJP leaders and others, citing an old viral video in which Mushtaq had reportedly questioned the practice of worshipping the Kannada language as Goddess Bhuvaneshwari.

Critics alleged her past remarks were “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Kannada.”

Several leaders demanded she clarify her reverence towards Goddess Chamundeshwari, whose blessings traditionally mark the start of Dasara. Mushtaq has maintained that her words were distorted by selective clips circulated online.

Siddaramaiah’s defence

Defending the government’s choice, Siddaramaiah said Dasara is “a festival of all people.”

“Banu Mushtaq may be a Muslim woman by birth, but she is a human being first. Humans should love and respect each other… Dasara is not a festival of any one religion or caste,” the CM said, as quoted by NDTV.

He added that the Indian Constitution is secular and warned against those “who try to distort it for selfish reasons.”