Bengaluru: The political storm over Chamundi Hill ownership and Dasara inauguration controversy has intensified, with sharp exchanges between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s remark that “Chamundi Hill is not solely Hindu property” has become a flashpoint. On Saturday, senior BJP leader R. Ashoka threw a challenge, saying, “If you have courage, make the same statement standing in front of a mosque.”
Speaking in Dharmasthala, Ashoka warned that BJP will soon launch a “Chamundi Chalo” agitation. He accused the Congress of appeasement politics and said Shivakumar’s statement insulted Hindu sentiments.
Responding to the attack, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended Shivakumar, stating:
“Dasara is not just a religious event but a Naadahabba (state festival) celebrated by people of all communities. Chamundi Devi is worshipped by everyone, not only Hindus. Politics should not be done over faith.”
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also targeted the government, asking, “If Chamundi is not Hindu property, then whose is it? Will you dare declare it Waqf property?”
Adding to the controversy, BJP leader C.T. Ravi accused the Congress of shielding writer Bhanu Mushtaq, who was selected as this year’s Dasara inauguration chief guest, despite his past remarks on Kannada flag, Bhuvaneshwari and folk traditions.
Ravi said: “If CM Siddaramaiah justifies Mushtaq’s anti-Kannada comments, then the government itself is anti-Kannada.”
Meanwhile, Congress minister Priyank Kharge defended the decision, stating Mushtaq was invited for his literary contributions, not political stances.
As the Dasara inauguration date approaches, the row over Chamundi Hill’s religious identity, Bhanu Mushtaq’s selection, and BJP-Congress face-off is heating up, with both sides sharpening their rhetoric.
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