Bengaluru Hindutva activist arrested for derogatory Facebook post on Karnataka minister Zameer Ahmed Khan

Khan’s supporter filed a complaint in Bengaluru’s Chamarajanagar police station against the accused for derogatory, and an FIR was registered.

Published on: Nov 14, 2024, 13:08:25 IST

By HT News Desk

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Bengaluru police arrested Hindutva activist Puneeth Karehalli on Thursday for his derogatory post against Karnataka minister Zameer Ahmed Khan. Khan’s supporter filed a complaint in Bengaluru’s Chamarajanagar police station against Karehalli, and an FIR was registered.

The comments of Zameer Ahmed Khan sparked a controversy across the state as many opposition leaders called the minister a racist.

Also Read - 'Kaaliya Kumaraswamy': Congress leader Zameer Ahmed Khan sparks row with racist barb

During the by-election campaign in Karnataka’s Channapatna, Zameer Ahmed Khan called union minister Kumaraswamy ‘Kaalia’, and Karehalli wrote a derogatory post on Facebook against the former in response to his comments.

While supporting CP Yogeshwara, the Congress candidate in Channapatna, Zameer Ahmed Khan, said, “Due to some differences in our Congress party, Yogeshwara contested as an independent candidate earlier. Yogeshwara had no option but to join the BJP. He was not ready to join the JD(S) because 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy' was more dangerous than the BJP. Yogeshwara has returned to his home, and he will be an MLA once again.”

Also Read - Karnataka minister's 'affection' clarification on calling HD Kumaraswamy 'Kaalia'

The comments of Zameer Ahmed Khan sparked a controversy across the state as many opposition leaders called the minister a racist. In response to Khan’s comments, the JD(S) party said, “Apparently, Congress’s idea of constructive criticism includes racial slurs. @BZZameerAhmedK comments about @hd_kumaraswamy skin color show that, for some Congress leaders, dignity and respect take a backseat to outdated, offensive mindsets.”

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

Union minister Kiren Rijiju, too, condemned Khan’s comments and said, “I strongly deplore Congress Minister Zameer Ahmed calling Union Minister & Ex CM of Karnataka Sh. Kumaraswamy as 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy'. This is a racist remark, the same as Rahul Gandhi's adviser calling South Indians look like Africans, North East as Chinese, North Indians as Arabs.”

Zameer Khan apologizes

Meanwhile, Khan expressed his clarification for making such comments against Kumaraswamy and said that it came out of his affection towards the union minister. He said, “If I had called him using such a word for the first time, I would have apologised. With affection, he used to call me 'Kulla' (dwarf), and I used to call him Kariyanna (black brother). If he or anyone else is still pained by it, I apologise. What is there in that?”

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HT News Desk
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