Supreme Court Dismissed Petition Against Banu Mushtaq To Open Dasara Festivities

A petition was filed by H.S. Gaurav, a resident of Bengaluru in the Supreme Court and the matter came up for hearing in a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta wherein the advocate representing the petitioner told the Court a non-Hindu person cannot be allowed to perform the pujas at the time of Dasara festivities. Justice Vikram Nath pronounced “dismissed.”

The advocate representing the petitioner stated the invitation to Banu Mushtaq is purely for political reasons and performing puja inside a temple cannot be regarded as a secular act. Again, Justice Vikram Nath repeated “dismissed.”

When the advocate of the petitioner told the Court that Banu Mushtaq made objectionable remarks (against Goddess Bhuvaneshwari) in the past thereby hurting the sentiments of the people, then again, Justice Vikram Nath pronounced “dismissed.”

Earlier the High Court of Karmataka dismissed petitions filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Member of Parliament Pratap Simha and others against invitation to Banu Musthaq.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah picked Banu Mushtaq to open Dasara festivities after a high-level committee on Dasara festivities entrusted him with the task of choosing a dignitary to open Dasara festivities. Siddaramaiah announced Banu Mushtaq as the dignitary to open the festivities over her anthology in Kannada translated into English ‘Heart Lamp’ won International Booker Prize-2025.

Over the dismissal of the plea against Banu Mushtaq, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court and stated “Dasara festivities cannot be confined to a particular religion.” Siddaramaiah said some elements tried to divide the society through hatching a well-planned conspiracy.