Strife among BJP MP, Dalit group puts Mysuru Dasara procession at risk

A massive face-off between the BJP MP from Mysore, Pratap Simha and organisers of the Mahisha Dasara is threatening the procession the world-renowned Mysuru Dasara procession. Demanding Simha’s arrest, Dalit organisations and rationalists have been protesting in the cultural capital of Karnataka and threaten to disrupt the procession if Simha is not taken into police custody. Ahead of the Mahisha Dasara celebrations, on September 26th, Pratap Simha had an altercation with the police for granting permission for Mahisha Dasara, after which the district administration withdrew the earlier given consent and banned the march that begins at the BR Ambedkar statue in Ashokapuram till Mahishasura statue atop Chamundi hills. Under the banner of Dalit Sangharsha Samithi, protestors have alleged that Simha abused the police in public for having and spoke using inflammatory words attempting to stir communal violence, and are demanding that he be booked under charges of criminal intimidation and causing disharmony between religious groups. 

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What is Mahisha Dasara?

A group of rationalists, writers and members of Dalit organisations have been celebrating Mahisha Dasara to proclaim a figure who they say has been vilified as a demon by majoritarian literature but on the contrary, was the ruler of Mysuru after whom the city was named.  To honour his legacy, for years now, Mahisha Dasara begins with a march from Ambedkar statue in the city to the giant statue of Mahishasura atop Chamundi hills where songs extolling the virtues of Mahishasura are sung and speeches are delivered.

Four procession groups, Ashoka, Bhima, Buddha and Mahisha march to Chamundi hills and so far, they have all been peaceful.  The organisers maintain that the festivities is to correct the narrative set by the Mysuru Dasara which is celebrated by Government of Karnataka as Nada Habba (state festival) and hails Goddess Chamundi as the slayer of an evil demon, Mahishasura. This contrarian festival which portrays Mahishasura as a noble ruler who was from an indigenous tribe, has been allowed for consecutive years by district administration under previous governments. 

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What happened this year?

While the district administration had granted a permit to hold the procession, fracas that broke out between BJP MP Pratap Simha and police present there resulted in the administration withdrawing its consent and the event had to be then shifted to a public park where it was reduced to a subdued ceremony. Meanwhile, a group of Dalit youth were also arrested by Mysuru police under the allegation that they intended to protest in front of CM BS Yediyurappa when he came to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara celebrations to Chamundi hills. Dalit organisations have denied this claim of the police and have contended that the youth were just there to take part in the inauguration. 

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Backlash by rationalists, progressive writers

The police’s action has attracted widespread disparagement by several groups including rationalists, writers, seers and Dalit organisations. KS Bhagwan, writer, said, ‘“for over six years, as we have observed Mahisha Dasara because we disagree with the current interpretation of Dasara and Mahishasura. This year’s cancellation of permission is the BJP’s conspiracy against Dalits and lower castes’. Dalit activist Shataraj said, ‘Pratap Simha openly abused police and used castist slurs too while screaming against Mahisha Dasara. He should be booked but the police are dragging their feet’. 

Sudipto Mondal, journalist, said, ‘This is another evidence of the vision of Vedic Hinduism which is excluding in nature. Low castes have their own narrative which is a threat to their culture of hierarchy. There are thousands of versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Rig Vedic shiva used to sleep in graveyards. These are attempts to erase those narratives’.

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