Karnataka minister's 'affection' clarification on calling HD Kumaraswamy 'Kaalia'
Karnataka minister and Congress leader Zameer Ahmed Khan apologised for calling Union minister HD Kumaraswamy as ‘Kaalia’
Karnataka minister Zameer Ahmed Khan on Tuesday apologised for calling Union minister HD Kumaraswamy as “Kaalia”, dubbed as ‘racist' by the Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Khan tried to clarify that on previous occasions he addressed Kumaraswamy in such a way out of affection, when the duo shared a good bonding.
On Sunday, Khan was referring to Channapatna Congress candidate CP Yogeeshwara who had joined the BJP earlier.
Yogeeshwara has a direct contest in the Channapatna assembly bypoll against Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy who is contesting as an NDA candidate on the JD(S) ticket.
"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 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy' was more dangerous than the BJP. Now he (Yogeeshwara) has come back home," the Congress leader said.
Khan was earlier with JD(S), and was considered to be a close associate of Kumaraswamy, who had earlier served as the Karnataka CM, at the time.
"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 quoted Khan.
“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),” the minister added.
‘Why will it affect by-polls?’: Zameer Ahmed Khan
Asked whether his statements would impact the Assembly by-polls in Channapatna, Khan said, " Why will it affect? I have not called in such a way for the first time. When Kumaraswamy and I were close, he used to call me 'Kulla', and I used to call him Kariyanna. If JD(S) workers are pained by it, I apologise."
The JD(S) and BJP had demanded that the Congress government sack Khan from the Cabinet for his "racist slur".
(With PTI inputs)