A day after starting a fresh controversy over his racist comments about Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka cabinet minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has apologised.
The Congress leader said he apologized if his statements about the Union Steel Minister hurt anyone’s sentiments.
Speaking to the media in Mysuru, Khan said that everyone knows Kumaraswamy and they are “best friends”. He admitted that it was not the first time he called Kumaraswamy ‘kala’ or ‘kaliya’ (black), and clarified that they had been calling each other affectionate terms since the beginning of politics.
“He used to call me short and I called him black. When we were very close, he used to make fun of me for being short and I used to make fun of him for being black. I will apologize if my words hurt someone. If this offends anyone, I apologize. Why will this statement affect the election? This is not the first time I have said this,” said Khan.
Khan made derogatory remarks on Sunday, commenting on the color of Kumaraswamy’s skin, while campaigning in Channapatna. While explaining CP Yogeshwar’s “ghar wapsi” to Congress, Khan said Yogeshwar left Congress due to differences, joined BSP and later joined BJP as he had no other option.
“Without choice, he joined BJP as he did not want to go with Janata Dal (Secular). He did not want to go with JD (S) because he felt that ‘kaliya’ (HD) Kumaraswamy was more dangerous than BJP,” said Khan.
Yogeshwar is the Congress representative from the Channapatna assembly seat, contesting against JD(S)’s Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
As Khan admitted, Sunday was not the first time he had commented on the color of Kumaraswamy’s skin. Three years ago, the priest had said in the Bidar language: “I am short and God made me short.” God made him black and hence he is kala (black). If I call a good person black, it is wrong. Black will only be black, right?”
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