Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lost his cool during the inauguration event of the Mysuru Dasara. Siddaramaiah was seen pointing at someone in the audience from the stage.
He was heard rebuking the audience members, who were not seen in the video, for allegedly being unruly.
“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,” he was heard saying in Kannada.
The Chief Minister was then heard telling a police official to “Don’t let them go”.
“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 said.
The 11-day Dasara festival began in the city of palaces today.
The Mysuru Dasara this year got embroiled in controversy after the Karnataka government invited International Booker Prize Winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the festival.
Objections were raised by BJP leaders and others, following an old video that went viral, in which Ms Mushtaq reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping the Kannada language as “Goddess Bhuvaneshwari”, stating that it was exclusionary to people like her (minorities).
Several sections objected to extending the honour to Ms Mushtaq, alleging that she has made statements in the past that are perceived by some as “anti-Hindu” and “anti Kannada”.
A few critics also argued that her selection for the festival, which traditionally begins with Vedic rituals and floral offerings to Goddess Chamundeshwari, disrespects religious sentiments and long-standing traditions associated with the event.
Several BJP leaders had also asked the acclaimed writer to clarify her reverence towards Goddess Chamundeshwari before consenting to inaugurate the Dasara. Ms Mushtaq, on her part, has said that her statement has been distorted by making selective parts of her old speech go viral on social media.
Siddaramaiah today defended the decision to invite her and said, “Dasara is not a festival of any one religion or caste, it is a festival of all”.
“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,” Siddaramaiah said.
“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,” he added.