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Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday slammed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over his remark that "Chamundi Hills is not only for Hindus," accusing him of stirring controversy to appease the Congress high command.
"To please the Congress high command, DK Shivakumar has started a new controversy. He has made a statement that 'Chamundi Hills is not only for Hindus.' I want to ask him why?... Chamundi Hills belongs to Hindus, and the temple is dedicated to them... In our state, the Waqf property dispute is still ongoing. Lakhs of acres of land that belong to farmers have been registered in the name of Waqf, and now DK Shivakumar wants to add one more property to it... DK Shivakumar recited the RSS anthem in the assembly session, which has angered the Congress high command. To remove this anger, he has created this new controversy," she said. The controversy arose when Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar responded to criticism from Yaduveer Wadiyar, a member of the Mysuru royal family, regarding the state government's decision to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the 2025 Mysuru Dasara festival in Goddess Chamundeshwari temple. https://x.com/DKShivakumar/status/1960555812134510930 In a post on X, Shivakumar urged critics not to communalise the iconic festival, emphasising its inclusive nature. In his statement, Shivakumar said, "Our region's festival - Dasara, our region's deity - Chamundeshwari. Chamundeshwari Mother is the presiding deity of our region. Those who worship her, believe in her, and honour her are found in all castes and religions. Her darshan is the right of everyone. Mother is the asset of all devotees, of all the children of the region, not limited to anyone. No one can say no to worshipping the Mother." He further accused the BJP of creating controversy, stating, "Creating controversy is the BJP's principle! Everyone from all religions and communities has access to Chamundi Hill. They pray to the Goddess. Our Durga Devi removes everyone's sorrows." Shivakumar highlighted the universal appeal of the festival, noting that people from across the country and abroad participate in Dasara, and the royal family has historically supported its inclusive nature. The Deputy CM concluded by urging against politicising religion, adding, "One should not do politics in the name of religion; even that Mother would not approve of it!" (ANI)
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