Bengaluru, Aug. 28 -- Janata Dal (Secular) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Thursday stated that "other options" could have been considered rather than inviting Booker prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the upcoming 'Mysuru Dasara' festival in 2025.

"We have no issues that one Muslim lady will be inaugurating the Dasara festival. One thing that recently took place regarding Thayi Bhuvaneshwari, who has expressed certain reservations...There are videos.. There are many other people who are great achievers. Perhaps you (the state government) could have considered other options as well. I think they could have chosen someone else..."Kumaraswarmy told reporters here.

Banu Mushtaq, an Indian writer and women's rights activist, scripted hist...