Congress may act against Karnataka minister over slur against HD Kumaraswamy

Karnataka Congress may initiate disciplinary action against Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan for calling JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy "Kaalia". The comment was widely criticised by the NDA as "racist".

In Short

• Zameer Khan called HD Kumaraswamy ‘Kaalia’ during Channapatna bypoll campaign
• Vokkaliga community, NDA condemned the racist remarks against Union Minister
• Khan defended comment, said he made comment out of affection for his ‘friend’

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara indicated on Monday that the state Congress might initiate disciplinary action against Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan following his controversial remarks about Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy.

Khan had referred to Kumaraswamy as “Kaalia” (dark-skinned), a comment criticised as a racist slur by the NDA and widely condemned.

The remark, made during the campaigning for the Channapatna by-poll, has sparked demands from Congress office-bearers for strict disciplinary measures. “Our state Congress President D K Shivakumar said after the by-polls that Khan’s statement had an impact on the election,” Parameshwara told reporters.

He added that the party’s disciplinary committee, led by former Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha K Rahman Khan, may take up the matter if referred by Shivakumar. “If the committee finds the matter serious, they may recommend action against him,” Parameshwara said.

Khan’s remarks, which also included a claim that the Muslim community could “buy” the Kumaraswamy family, stirred backlash during the Channapatna campaign, where H D Kumaraswamy's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, contested as a joint BJP-JD(S) candidate.

Khan’s remarks faced strong backlash from the Vokkaliga community, which the Gowda family belong to.

Congress candidate C P Yogeeshwara, contesting from Channapatna, admitted that Khan’s comments likely affected his prospects in the Vokkaliga-dominated constituency. The by-polls, held on November 13 alongside Shiggaon and Sandur, are seen as high-stakes battles, with results due on November 23.

Facing mounting criticism, Khan issued an apology last week, but his remarks have already caused embarrassment for the Congress. The controversy also cast a shadow over his party’s efforts to consolidate support in a politically sensitive region.