SC dismisses plea against Karnataka inviting writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging a Karnataka High Court order that upheld the state government’s decision to invite writer and activist Banu Mushtaq, winner of the 2025 International Booker Prize, to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara celebrations, Live Law reported.

In its order, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta pointed out that the Preamble to the Constitution speaks about secularism.

“What is the Preamble of this country?” Bar and Bench quoted the court as asking advocate PB Suresh, representing one of the petitioners, HS Gaurav. “This is a state programme…How can state distinguish between A, B and C?”

Mysuru Dasara is a 10-day state festival that begins with the Hindu festival of Navratri and ends on Vijayadashami, or Dussehra. This year, the festivities start on September 22 and conclude on October 2.

The inauguration is set to be conducted at the Chamundi temple in Mysuru.

A row had erupted in the state in August after Mushtaq was invited to inaugurate the celebrations.

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders had claimed that the Congress government in the state had chosen a woman from a community that did not believe in Hinduism, referring to Mushtaq being a Muslim.

Three petitions were also filed in the Karnataka High Court, including one by BJP leader and former MP Prathap Simha, challenging the invitation to the writer.

On September 15, the...

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