Mysuru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lost his temper while inaugurating the Mysuru Dasara festival on Monday, rebuking certain attendees for unruly behaviour.
Incident during inauguration
During the event, Siddaramaiah was seen pointing at the audience and saying in Kannada:
“Can’t you sit for a little while? Sit down. Who is that? If I tell you once, don’t you understand? Why did you even come here? You should have stayed at home.”
He further instructed the police present at the venue not to allow those individuals to leave, adding, “Police, don’t let them go. Can’t you sit for half an hour or an hour? Then, why are you attending this function?”
Mysuru Dasara festivities
The incident occurred as the city kicked off the 11-day Mysuru Dasara festival, locally known as ‘Nada Habba’. This year’s celebrations were inaugurated by International Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq, who performed rituals at the Chamundeshwari temple atop Chamundi Hills during the auspicious Vrushchika Lagna. Priests chanted Vedic hymns as Mushtaq showered flowers on the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru.
CM defends chief guest choice
Addressing questions later, Siddaramaiah defended his government’s decision to invite Mushtaq, saying that it had been widely accepted and had brought honour to Karnataka. He emphasised:
“Dasara is not a festival of any one religion or caste, it is a festival of all. It is ‘Nada Habba’, the festival of the people.”
The 11-day festivities will continue, showcasing Karnataka’s cultural heritage, traditions, and royal grandeur.