Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has sparked a fresh controversy after stating that the iconic Chamundi Hills in Mysuru does not belong exclusively to Hindus. His remark comes a day after apologizing for reciting the RSS anthem in the Legislative Assembly and has now triggered a sharp reaction from the Mysuru royal family and BJP leaders.

Addressing criticism over author and Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the state’s Dasara celebrations, Shivakumar said, “Chamundi Hills is open to people of all religions. They come to pray before the deity, and it is not a Hindu property. We visit mosques, dargahs, Jain basthis, and gurudwaras. Has anyone stopped us? Have we ever prohibited others from entering our temples?” He further questioned why there is no board in Ayodhya stating that only Hindus are allowed.

However, Mysuru royal family scion and BJP MP Yaduveer Wadiyar dismissed Shivakumar’s statement as “laughable,” asserting that Chamundeshwari Devi is a Hindu goddess referenced in the Markandeya Purana and that Dasara is a Hindu festival celebrated for centuries with traditional rituals. Wadiyar said allowing a “non-believer” like Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the celebrations was an attack on Hindu traditions.

Shivakumar hit back, saying Wadiyar had forgotten history after joining the BJP. He noted that during the Wadiyars’ rule, foreign dignitaries, including representatives of different faiths, were invited to Dasara celebrations. He also reminded critics that poet Nissar Ahamed had previously inaugurated Dasara without controversy. “The BJP does not follow Hinduism as much as we do. I am not appeasing anyone; everyone should get an opportunity. Show me where it is written that people of other religions cannot enter Hindu temples,” he said.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje joined the debate, asking, “If Chamundi Hills is not Hindu property, then whose is it?” To this, Shivakumar responded, “It is government property.”

Former Mysuru MP Prathap Simha also criticized Shivakumar, recalling the Kapali Hills controversy in Kanakapura, where a proposal to install a Jesus Christ statue sparked protests. He accused Shivakumar of compromising Hindu traditions for political gain, saying, “We don’t need to learn Hinduism from someone who donated a Shiva hill to Christians in his native place.”

The war of words continues, with political and religious sentiments intensifying ahead of the upcoming festivities in Karnataka.