'Can't you sit for a little while?': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah snaps at audience during Mysuru Dasara inauguration

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lost his temper during the inauguration of the Mysuru Dasara festival, scolding members of the audience for being unruly, reported NDTV. From the stage, the visibly irked Chief Minister pointed at individuals in the crowd and rebuked them.

"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, addressing some people in the gathering, as per the report.

Turning to the police, he then instructed officials not to allow the individuals to leave the venue. "Police, don't let them go. Can't you sit for half an hour or an hour? Then, why are you attending this function?" he reportedly remarked sharply.

The 11-day Dasara festivities, celebrated as one of Karnataka’s grandest cultural events in the city of palaces, began today. However, this year’s inauguration has already been marred by controversy.

The government’s decision to invite International Booker Prize-winning writer Banu Mushtaq as the chief guest stirred political and social debate. Opposition leaders, particularly from the BJP, objected strongly, citing an old video of Ms Mushtaq that resurfaced online. In that clip, she reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping the Kannada language as "Goddess Bhuvaneshwari," saying such practices were exclusionary to minorities like herself.

Several groups accused the state government of disregarding religious sentiments, pointing out that Mysuru Dasara traditionally begins with Vedic rituals and floral offerings to Goddess Chamundeshwari. They argued that honouring Mushtaq was disrespectful to longstanding traditions.

Critics also claimed the writer had previously made remarks perceived as "anti-Hindu" and "anti-Kannada," demanding that she publicly state her reverence for Goddess Chamundeshwari before inaugurating the festivities.

Responding to the uproar, Ms Mushtaq maintained that her earlier statement was selectively clipped and distorted on social media, giving it an entirely different meaning from what she intended.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, standing firmly by the decision to invite her, defended the inclusivity of the festival. "Dasara is not a festival of any one religion or caste, it is a festival of all," he said.

He further elaborated, "Banu Mushtaq may be a Muslim woman by birth, but she is a human being first. Humans should love and respect each other and there should be no hate based on one's caste and religion, as it is not the characteristic of humanity."

Underscoring his point, Siddaramaiah added, "Everyone should understand that our Constitution is secular. We are a society where there is unity in diversity, irrespective of our religion and castes, we are all Indians. Those who are opposed to the Constitution try to distort it, such people are selfish."