Opposition to Banu Mushtaq politically motivated: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s opposition to inauguration of Dasara festival writer Banu Mushtaq was politically motivated and the government would respond to it politically.

Speaking to presspersons at Almatti in Vijayapura district on Saturday, Mr. Siddramaiah said that when writer Nissar Ahmed inaugurated Dasara festival previously none had opposed and also said that there was also no opposition during Tipu Sultan and Mirza Ismail’s time.

On ex-MP Pratap Simha approaching the High Court opposing the invitation extended to Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Dasara, the Chief Minister said that the court would decide the matter.

He also said that there was no evidence to prove that Banu Mushtaq had made insulting remarks against ‘Kannadambe’. “Her work translated into English has won the Booker Prize. The government has felicitated writer Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Basti. As Banu Mushtaq is a Kannada writer, we have invited her to inaugurate Dasara festival,” he said.

Replying to a query on medical college for Vijayapura, the Chief Minister said that the government had plans to establish medical colleges and hospitals in every district and it would be done in a phased manner. A decision would also be taken on establishment of medical college in Vijayapura. As per the Union government’s guidelines medical colleges would be constructed through private participation but medical services would be offered at government rates, he said.

To another query, he said that steps would be taken to find permanent solution to flooding in Malaprabha river in Bagalkot district and Doni river in Vijayapura district.

On holding elections to local bodies through ballot paper, Mr. Siddramaiah said that with the objective of not giving scope for confusion and objections pertaining to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), it had been resolved to recommend the Election Commission to hold the elections through ballot papers. He also said that several countries across the globe had stopped using EVMs and reverted to ballot papers.