Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court (HC) this morning dismissed petitions challenging the State Government’s decision to select Kannada author and International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq as the chief guest to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara, scheduled to begin on Sept. 22.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Joshi, after hearing the arguments, observed: “We are not persuaded to accept that permitting a person of a different faith to a function organised by the State violates any legal or constitutional right of the petitioners or is in any manner opposed to the values enshrined in the Constitution of India. Accordingly, the petitions are dismissed.”

The petitions were filed by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha, T. Girish Kumar, R. Sowmya and H.S. Gaurav from Bengaluru, seeking a direction to the State Government to withdraw the invitation extended to Banu Mushtaq.

Simha’s objection centred on Banu Mushtaq’s alleged “anti-Hindu and anti-Kannada” statements made during a literary event in 2023, as well as the decision to invite her without consulting the Mysore Royal Family, which has traditionally been associated with the Dasara celebrations.

During the hearing, Simha’s advocate argued that Banu Mushtaq had criticised the worship of Kannada by saying that the State had distanced her from the language by giving Kannada the status of a Goddess.

 The counsel contended that this remark indicated she did not respect the worship of Hindu deities, adding that Simha would not object to her presence if she withdrew her controversial statements.

Advocate General (AG) Shashi Kiran Shetty, representing the State, pointed out that Simha himself, during his tenure as MP, had shared the stage with poet Nissar Ahmed, who had inaugurated Dasara in 2017.

He further highlighted that the State Government had issued a notification clearly stating that no individual — irrespective of caste or religion — can be prevented from entering any temple, whether managed by the Muzrai Department or privately administered.

 The AG argued that the Government was fulfilling its secular duty by organising the Mysuru Dasara celebrations and that inviting Banu Mushtaq was in line with the constitutional values of inclusivity and secularism.