HASSAN: Expressing unhappiness over opposition parties criticising the state government’s invitation to her to inaugurate the Dasara festivities this year, International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq on Tuesday said she doesn’t want to take their objections seriously.
She told reporters at her residence here that lakhs of people have welcomed the government’s decision and she need not reply to comments of a few people. Taking a section of politicians to task, she said they should know which issue should be politicised.
They would not have criticised the decision if they knew the importance of the Booker Prize, she said, and added that she does not want to reply to those who talk loosely about the prize. She said the speech she delivered at the Jan Sahitya Sammelana, a parallel to the all-India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Haveri in 2023, is twisted and often posted in social media to tarnish her image.
She had spoken about the alleged negligence of Muslims, Dalits, women and downtrodden writers in literary meets, she added.
She lauded the statement of BJP MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar for giving a gentle reply, and said the number of such leaders should increase.