Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday played down the controversy surrounding Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s “Kaalia” remark aimed at Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Shivakumar explained that Ahmed Khan and Kumaraswamy share a friendship, implying that the comment was not intended seriously.

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He also criticized the BJP for fueling the controversy, arguing that the matter was being blown out of proportion for political purposes.

“Kumaraswamy and Zameer Ahmed are the closest of friends. Has Kumaraswamy given any statement on this? BJP people are only trying to create controversy. They both are in true love. For more than 20 years, they have been in love. They will speak whatever they want for their love,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Also Read: Karnataka minister Zameer Ahmed Khan’s racist remark against HD Kumaraswamy sparks row; JD(S), BJP hit back

Meanwhile, Ahmed Khan tendered his apology for his remark against Kumaraswamy.

“I apologise if my statement has offended anyone. Earlier, when I was with him, he used to affectionately call me ‘kulla’ (short) and I used to call him ‘black’. I am ready to apologize if my statement offended anyone,” Khan told reporters in Mysuru on Tuesday.

Khan said that his remarks will not have an impact on the byelection results in the state.”It’s not an issue on which I need to resign. My statement has been interpreted differently. My statement will not affect the election,” he said.

On Monday, Janata Dal Secular strongly condemned the “racist remarks”.

JD(S) on its social media handle X, shared a video where Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan in an election campaign in Channapatna by-polls purportedly makes disparging remarks against the former chief minister terming him as “Kala Kumaraswamy.”

In a social media post on X, the official handle of JD(S) wrote, “Housing Minister @BZZameerAhmedK used racial slurs during Channapatna by-election campaign. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was insulted by Jameer Ahmed Khan as “Kala Kumaraswamy” (Black Kumaraswamy) in Urdu. By this they have racially insulted the black people and committed racial discrimination. Apart from that, these words of racial hatred coming from the mouth of Jameer Ahmed, who has uplifted a community and encouraged people to deteriorate the peace and order in the society, are an unforgivable crime.”

The party also demanded the state Home Minister G Parameshwara and Ramnagar district police to immediately take appropriate legal action against minister Jameer Ahmed for “racial abuse, racism and trying to disturb peace in the society.”

The tweet added, “The Secular Janata Dal Party demands that the Home Minister @DrParameshwara and @spramanagara Ramnagar district police immediately take appropriate legal action against minister Jameer Ahmed for racial abuse, racism and trying to disturb peace in the society. Mr. @kharge and @INCIndia president of National Congress should get the resignation of this racist Jameer first if he can maintain morals for the party. @INCKarnataka.”

The bypolls on Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna are scheduled for November 13 and the results for the respective seats will be announced on November 23. These seats were vacant after the resignation of the respective candidates. 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has slammed the Congress-led Karnataka government for its moves related to the Waqf land issue, ANI reported.

Speaking to the news agency, Poonawalla jibed at the state government for retracting notices related to the Waqf land issue and called it a “U-turn expert”.

‘U-turn, Vote Bank’

“The Karnataka government has now become a U-turn expert. First, it says that there was no MUDA scam, and then it returns to the land of the MUDA scam. Now Siddaramaiah has ordered that no farmer’s land will be taken,” Poonawalla said.

“But Waqf is not stopping at all, 53 Waqf properties have been identified in Vijayapura and Karnataka. This clearly means that the Congress wanted to give the farmers’ land to Waqf, to its vote bank, in a planned manner. Today, when the process of bringing amendments in Waqf takes place in JPC, the Congress opposes it,” he added.

What Happened?

According to a statement by the Chief Minister’s Office, CM Siddaramaiah on November 2 directed officials to immediately retract all notices sent to farmers concerning waqf land issues, stating that no disturbances should be caused to the farmers.

On the same day, Karnataka Waqf and Minority Affairs Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan slammed the opposition BJP in the state for a row over waqf notice to farmers and alleged that it was “projected differently.”

Speaking to ANI on November 2, Khan said that the notice has been withdrawn for reconsideration. “The temporary notice served to farmers has been made into a big issue by the BJP. They have projected it differently and are giving the wrong message to the country. The CM has decided to withdraw the notice and we are reconsidering it,” he stated.

‘Disturbance of Peace’

The Chief Minister’s directive came after a high-level meeting involving senior officials from the Revenue Department, Minority Welfare Department, and the Waqf Board.

The CM expressed strong dissatisfaction over recent actions taken by certain officials and highlighted that the JD(S) and BJP were allegedly using the Waqf matter for political gain, potentially disturbing peace in the state. He appealed to the public to disregard any misinformation and called on officials to ensure the matter was handled sensitively, as per the report.

Karnataka Legislative Council LoP Chalavadi Narayanaswamy reacted to the withdrawal orders by calling it an “eyewash” to win the local elections. “Now, you’ve given the order to withdraw the notices. But still, in the gazette, it is only Waqf’s property. So this is not a solution at all. I will immediately request CM Siddaramaiah to withdraw the 1974 gazette. Otherwise, it is just an eyewash to win the local elections. This will not bring any relief to the farmers,” he alleged.

Congress leaders on Friday hit-back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for targeting the grand old party and its chief Mallikarjun Kharge over poll promises and said that ‘nobody in the party can lie like PM Modi’.

In a series of tweets, PM Modi said that Congress Party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible.

Modi’s comment came after Kharge’s comments that the party’s state units should make promises that are properly budgeted and do not lead to financial troubles.

However, soon the Congress rejected the allegations and said that the government of India is not delivering what they promised. “They are blaming us for non-delivery. But on our part, we are delivering on our promises,” said Congress general secretary KC Venugopal.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also tagged Modi and said that before pointing fingers at Congress, take a hard look at BJP’s disastrous legacy in Karnataka!

“We are fulfilling every promise we made to our people – all 5 guarantees implemented with a budget over ₹52,000 crore, and an additional ₹52,903 crore in capital outlay to build Karnataka’s future. And the irony? While Karnataka contributes significantly to the Union’s coffers, your government starves us of our rightful share to prevent us from implementing guarantee schemes.”

Siddaramaiah stated that for every rupee Karnataka gives, they only receive 13 paise back.

“This is not ‘cooperative federalism’; it’s outright exploitation. While Congress in Karnataka has delivered, BJP continues to fail Indians nationwide.”

Congress leader Udit Raj said that nobody in the party can lie like PM Modi.

“He had spoken about 2 crore jobs, about ₹15 Lakhs in accounts, about doubling of farmers’ income, about houses for everyone till 2022. He did not do anything but didn’t even apologise for it,” reported ANI quoting Udit Raj.
He further added that Kharge and Congress party have warned that we should promise only that much as much as it can be implemented. “They are liars. We speak the truth.”