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Bengaluru, Aug 27 (PTI) Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday slammed Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for his statement that Chamundi Hill in Mysuru and its presiding deity Goddess Chamundi are not an exclusive property of Hindus.

A political row has erupted in the state after Shivakumar had said, "Chamundi Hill and Goddess Chamundi belongs to everyone and are not the property of Hindus. People from all communities visit Chamundi Hills in Musuru." Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, the Deputy CM said Chamundeshwari Devi is the deity of Karnataka.

"It is government property... Nowhere is it mentioned that only Hindus should visit this shrine. Chamundeshwari blesses people from all faiths."

Taking strong exception to Shivakumar's statement, Shobha Karandlaje demanded that the Deputy CM clarify the ownership of Chamundi Hills if it is not a Hindu property.

"Shivakumar said Chamundi Hills are not a Hindu property. If so, then whose property is it? Because Tipu Sultan (18th Century AD Mysuru ruler) had ruled this region, are you going to declare it (the hills) as Waqf property?" asked Karandlaje, while speaking to reporters here.

Alleging that the Congress government has already declared the agriculture land as Waqf property, she said many farmers, monasteries and temples are in trouble due to Waqf board notices.

She accused Shivakumar of creating the controversy to divert attention from a previous incident where he sang an RSS anthem in the assembly.

"... When you sang the RSS anthem inside the assembly, you got a rap from your party high command. To overcome the problem you created this controversy around Chamundi Hills," the Union Minister said.

Mysuru MP and scion of Mysuru Royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraj Wadiyar termed Shivakumar's statement on his family deity as "hurting".

"It’s a very painful and ridiculous statement. At a time when people are worshipping the Goddess Gouri and Ganesha, a statement was given that hurts the Hindu sentiments, which is condemnable," Wadiyar said.

The controversy erupted after the state government announced that eminent Kannada literatteur Banu Mushtaq, who won Booker Prize for her book 'Heart Lamp' (Edeya Hanate in Kannada), will inaugurate Dasara festivities this year.

The BJP questioned the choice, saying those who have faith in Chamundeshwari Devi alone should inaugurate it.

As the BJP intensified its campaign against the state government's decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the festivities by alleging that she had insulted Goddess Bhuvaneshwari in her 2023 speech, Shivakumar hit out at the Saffron party for "communalising" the issue. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)