BENGALURU: With just two days for byelections to the legislative Assembly in the state, Housing and Waqf Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed made a controversial remark by calling Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy “Kaala (dark complexion) Kumaraswamy”.
BJP and JDS leaders were quick to launch a scathing attack on Zameer for his derogatory remark and urged Ramanagara Police to initiate action against him.
While campaigning for Channapatna Congress candidate CP Yogeshwara on Sunday evening, Zameer said, “If there is anyone who can defeat ‘Kaaliya Kumaraswamy’, it is tiger Yogeshwara.” During his speech, the minister used words such as ‘Kaaliya’ and ‘Kaala’ to target Kumaraswamy. A video of the speech has gone viral and netizens too have slammed Zameer.
JDS leaders, who expressed their anguish online, also sought Zameer’s resignation. “Through this remark, Zameer has insulted the community to which Kumarawamy belongs. He also tried to disturb peace and harmony in society,’’ they said.
Be it Overseas Congress chairperson Sam Pitroda or Zameer, it has become a habit for Congress leaders to indulge in racism. They only know to divide society. It is their culture and JDS is not scared of them, they said. They also tagged Congress leaders, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and questioned Zameer about the colour of their skin.
Zameer’s remark is racist, says Rijiju
JDS leader Bandeppa Kashampur said, “I don’t know how Congress is tolerating Zameer. I am sure, leaders of that party are not happy with Zameer’s remark. People are watching. Congress should drop Zameer from the state cabinet.”
Kumaraswamy’s cabinet colleagues also condemned Zameer’s remark. Union Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “This is a racist remark. Same as the one made by Rahul Gandhi’s adviser, who had stated that South Indians look like Africans, people of North East resemble Chinese, and North Indians as Arabs.”
This is not the first time that Zameer is making such a remark. During a campaign in Basavakalyan, Zameer called Kumaraswamy as ‘Kaala’. JDS workers then filed a complaint against Zameer with the then Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant.
‘We are good friends’
“We are good friends. I always call him (Kumaraswamy) as Kariyanna and he calls me kulla,” Zameer told reporters in Ramanagara.
Zameer said there was no malice behind his remark. Zameer claimed though he and Kumaraswamy are in different parties, their friendship is intact and he still holds JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda in high esteem. “In fact, Gowda is my political guru,” he said.