'Called Kumaraswamy Kaaliya as...': Congress leader Zameer Ahmed Khan clarifies after row over remark

Zameer Ahmed Khan was previously a close associate of Kumaraswamy during his tenure with JD(S).

Karnataka minister Zameer Ahmed Khan on Tuesday clarified that he called JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy “Kaaliya” out of affection.

Ahmed also said that he would apologise if his comments have hurt the feelings of any JD(S) worker. "Why is it that big (an issue)? I would apologise if I had called him that for the first time. In the days when we were close friends, Kumaraswamy used to address me as Kulla (dwarf) and I would call him Kariya (dark). If Kumaraswamy or anyone else is hurt, I would seek their apology," the minister told the media Mysuru.

Khan, who handles housing, Waqf and minority welfare portfolios, was campaigning for the Congress candidate CP Yogeeshwara in Channapatna Assembly constituency.

The JD(S) on Monday demanded that the Congress government should sack Khan from the Cabinet for his racist slur.

The JD(S) in a post on 'X' on Monday called Khan a 'racist'. "Your power and greed that you will buy the family of Deve Gowda who brought you up politically will not last long," the JD(S) said.

The party sought to know the colour of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, ministers H C Mahadevappa, Satish Jarakiholi, Priyank Kharge and K H Muniyappa.

"Dismiss such a low mentality person from the Cabinet immediately," the party demanded.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju too condemned Khan’s slur. "I strongly deplore Congress Minister Zameer Ahmed calling the Union Minister & Ex CM of Karnataka Sh. Kumaraswamy as 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy'. This is a racist remark, same as Rahul Gandhi's adviser calling South Indians look like Africans, North East as Chinese, North Indians as Arabs," Rijiju said in a post on 'X'.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. "He shouldn't have made such remarks about HDK," said Siddaramaiah.