Senior BJP leader R Ashoka has accused the ruling Congress of targeting Hindu religious sites, specifically the revered Chamundi Hill and its Chamundeshwari Temple, as part of a deliberate "toolkit" strategy. After offering prayers at the temple, Ashoka, the Leader of Opposition, condemned the Congress government's claim that the temple and Goddess Chamundeshwari do not belong exclusively to Hindus.
Speaking to reporters, Ashoka challenged the Congress, saying, "If the Chamundeshwari Temple isn’t Hindu, whose is it? Would you dare say a mosque doesn’t belong to Muslims?" He accused the Congress of a pattern of targeting Hindu sacred sites, citing Sabarimala, Tirupati, Dharmasthala, and now Chamundi Hill, as part of their "vote bank and appeasement politics."
Ashoka warned of massive protests, including a potential "Chamundeshwari Devastana Chalo" rally, if the Congress continues its stance. He referenced the 500-year struggle for Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, cautioning that targeting Chamundeshwari could mark the beginning of Congress’s downfall. "Hindus won’t tolerate this disrespect," he declared.
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The controversy stems from Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s recent statement that Chamundi Hill and Goddess Chamundeshwari belong to all religions, not just Hindus. The remark came amid backlash over the government’s decision to invite International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara 2025 on September 22 atop Chamundi Hill.
BJP leaders, including Ashoka, have objected to Mushtaq’s invitation due to a viral video where she allegedly questioned worshipping the Kannada language as "Goddess Bhuvaneshwari," calling it exclusionary to minorities. Ashoka demanded Mushtaq apologise and show reverence for Goddess Chamundeshwari before attending. "If she can’t accept Bhuvaneshwari Tayi, the mother goddess of Kannada, how will she honor Chamundeshwari Tayi?" he asked.
Other BJP figures, including state President B Y Vijayendra and Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, echoed Ashoka’s demand for Mushtaq to clarify her stance on the goddess. However, Mushtaq has claimed her remarks were distorted through selective editing of an old speech circulated on social media.
Ashoka contrasted the current controversy with the unopposed invitation of Muslim poet K S Nissar Ahmed to inaugurate Dasara in the past, noting Ahmed’s respect for all religions and Kannada culture. The BJP’s escalating protests signal a deepening political rift as Mysuru Dasara approaches, with Chamundi Hill at the heart of the dispute.
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