Bengaluru: Literature has the power to unite society. Society should be united through literature, not divided, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He congratulated and honoured Banu at the government felicitation program organized by the Kannada and Culture Department at the Banquet Hall for Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq.

‘Banu Mushtaq has increased the fame of Kannada by providing Booker to our language. He appreciated that this is the pride of the entire Kannada world. Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi, who brought fame to Kannada through their stories and translations, will be given a prize of 10 lakh each’, he announced.

He said that the government will provide assistance for the translation and publication of Banu’s stories in English. He analysed that the strength of Banu Mushtaq’s writing is that she has been recognized in society as a journalist, writer, lawyer and activist. While writing as a journalist in Lankesh’s newspaper, she has also advocated for the poor as a lawyer and has received many awards, including the Rajyotsava Award, which is proof of the social essence in Banu Mushtaq’s writings.

Banu has the progressive courage to write against the atrocities as the voice of the girls of the Muslim community. Banu Mushtaq has taken on the responsibility of giving a humane message through literature.

‘In the Kavirajamarga, there was a call to look at other religions and other ideas with compassion, Adikavi Pampa said that the human race is the only one worthy of worship, and Basavanna said, “This is ours.” Akkamahadevi, the voice of a woman, also voiced the same’. He said that Banu Mushtaq worked as a continuation of the aspirations of all of them.