(From left to right) Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar. (Source: FB)The controversy over Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurating official Dasara celebrations has refused to die down in Karnataka, with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar of the BJP continuing to spar over the issue on Wednesday.The trigger was Shivakumar’s remark that Chamundi Hill, where the inauguration will take place, belonged to everyone and was not the property of Hindus alone. He made the remarks at a news conference on Tuesday while commenting on the BJP’s opposition to Mushtaq inaugurating the Dasara celebrations.Yaduveer condemned the Congress leader’s remarks. “Chamundi Betta is a Shakti Peetha – sanctified by the Shastras and revered by crores of Hindus. The temple was, is, and will always remain Hindu property. The people of Karnataka respect every religion, but they will never tolerate the continuous assault on Hindu festivals, traditions, and temples,” the MP posted on X on the same day.On Wednesday, Shivakumar wrote on X that Chamundeshwari was the state goddess and that people from all castes and religions prayed to, believed in, and respected her. “She belongs to everyone and the people of the state. She is not limited to anyone,” he said.State festival Dasara belonged to people of all faiths, Shivakumar said, adding that religion should not be politicised.The BJP MP, who acknowledged that people from all faiths were devotees of the goddess, said that Chamundeshwari was a Hindu deity.“Dasara is the biggest cultural event of the state. People from all religions can participate. But fundamentally it is a Hindu festival,” he said on X.Story continues below this adTaking a dig at Shivakumar for his remarks that the Gandhi family was his God, Yaduveer said, “You have turned a single family into your deity. Do not dare to deny the Hindu identity of the Goddess and the religious tradition of Dasara. We are not doing politics. When you attacked our religion for the sake of appeasement politics, we stood up to defend it.”The BJP opposed the Congress Government’s decision to have Banu Mushtaq inaugurate the Dasara celebrations. It raked up a 2023 video to allege that the Booker Prize-winning author was against religious traditions, and demanded she declare her reverence and devotion to Chamundeshwari before inaugurating the celebrations.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:BengaluruD K Shivakumar