Mysuru: A day after Mysuru royal family matriarch Pramoda Devi Wadiyar expressed displeasure over crowd management during Dasara festival in Mysuru Palace, Mysuru district minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah stated that if there are any issues, the royal family should convey their grievances directly to the govt, which is ready to resolve them.“Since the issue is being discussed on a public platform, I can’t reply without discussing it with the CM,” he told reporters.Pramoda Devi Wadiyar had asked the state govt to shift hosting the Dasara procession to some other day, and not on Vijayadashami.The minister said except for Vajramusti Kalaga, all private Dasara events have passed off peacefully without any complaints. “We had been continuously in touch with the royal family during the Dasara celebration, and if the royal family had any grievances, they should have approached govt, instead of openly expressing displeasure,” he said, adding: “However, police have different versions of the allegation against them over the cancellation of Vajramusti Kalaga, which didn’t happen this year. I have to consider all versions of the incident.”Regarding suggestions for holding the Dasara procession, Yathindra said he does not wish to comment immediately.Responding to a question on whether coordination is needed, Yathindra said there must certainly be coordination between the royal family and the govt. On the matter of approaching the high court and refusing to provide the golden howdah for the Dasara procession, he said they are free to do so if they choose, and the govt will take necessary steps.Referring to Pramoda Devi Wadiyar’s remark that there is no significance for the govt-run Dasara in the state festival, he said govt has been officially organising Dasara since 1971.“After Independence, it became a people’s festival, and in a democracy, govt conducts Dasara. The govt will continue to do so,” he said.On Pramoda Devi Wadiyar’s statement that govt may conduct Dasara, but the golden howdah belongs to them, Yathindra hit back, saying it is not taken free of cost but obtained by paying for it and then returned after the procession.The minister clarified that since the decision on choosing the howda elephant remained unclear until the last moment, and the same may have caused delay in communicating the final selection.
