Zameer Ahmed Khan, Minister for Housing in the Karnataka government apologised on Tuesday for referring to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as ‘Kaaliya’ while campaigning for assembly bypolls on Sunday. Both BJP and JD(S) have demanded the Congress to sack Khan from the cabinet.
Khan, who was earlier with JD(S), said he shared a close bond with Kumaraswamy and he used to call the latter Kariyanna affectionately. Apologising for his controversial remarks, Khan said, “I used to call him like that out of affection since the beginning, not today. He used to call me 'Kullanna' and I used to call him 'Kariyanna' (referring to his skin complexion)."
“....If I had called him using such a word for the first time, I would have apologised....out of affection, he used to call me 'Kulla' (dwarf), I used to call him Kariyanna (black brother). If still he or anyone is pained by it, I apologise. What is there in that?" PTI reported quoting the minister.
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Khan said his comments will not affect Congress’s chances in the Channapatna bypolls. The Congress leader made the controversial remark while campaigning in Ramanagara for Channapatna bypolls on Sunday. Congress has fielded C.P. Yogeeshwara against Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil in the constituency.
Campaigning for Yogeeshwara, Khan had said, "Due to some differences in our party (Congress), he contested as an independent. He had no option but to join the BJP. He was not ready to join the JD(S) because 'Kaaliya Kumaraswamy' was more dangerous than the BJP. Now he (Yogeeshwara) has come back home," PTI reported.