Women Media Body Condemns 'Divisive Politics' Over Muslim Author's Dasara Invitation

Mysuru- The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) has issued a strong condemnation of the controversy surrounding the invitation to renowned Kannada writer and International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the 2025 Mysuru Dasara, Karnataka’s premier state festival or Naada Habba.

The invitation to a Muslim woman author has sparked a political firestorm, with sections of the state's political spectrum, primarily from the BJP, voicing opposition and allegedly manufacturing outrage.

The NWMI, in its statement, highlighted the festival's historically inclusive character. While rooted in Hindu traditions, the 10-day Dasara has evolved into a multi-dimensional cultural celebration that attracts a global audience. The network pointed out that this is not the first time a Muslim has been associated with the festival's inauguration, citing the example of the late poet K.S. Nissar Ahmed, who inaugurated the event in 2017 without major controversy.

The current dispute has seen direct political and legal action. Pratap Simha, a former BJP MP, filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking a stay on the invitation. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the sitting BJP MP from Mysuru, initially welcomed the decision but later stated that Ms. Mushtaq must "clarify her reverence towards Hindu deities."

In contrast, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, a member of the erstwhile royal family, sought to defuse tensions by distinguishing between the "secular" government-organized cultural celebrations and the private "dharmic rituals" performed by the royals.

The NWMI asserts that Ms. Mushtaq’s identity as a Muslim woman is the primary reason for the targeted outrage, which has been amplified by politicians and some sections of media and social media. The network praised the author’s literary achievements and her consistent voice against social evils and oppressive practices affecting women.

The title of her Booker-winning short story collection, Heart Lamp, was described as particularly resonant. The NWMI stated it "conveys the need for the lamp of awareness in the midst of the polarising politics practised today."

The statement also welcomed the registration of FIRs in Udupi against individuals for making communal remarks against the author online, calling it a "welcome move" that shows political will.

Concluding with a call for peace, the NWMI urged the public and political representatives to exercise restraint, refrain from communal polarization, and uphold the inclusive spirit of the Naada Habba, echoing the state anthem's description of Karnataka as a "garden of peace for all people."