Zameer Ahmed Khan: Man in the midst of many controversies

Minister for Housing, Waqf, and Minority Welfare B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, a key Muslim face in the Karnataka Congress, has made it to headlines frequently in the recent past for all the wrong reasons. In fact, the five-time MLA and entrepreneur has found himself at the centre of a series of controversies after he entered public life two decades ago.

Over the past month, Mr. Khan’s handling of the Ministry of Waqf and his “racial” remarks against JD(S) leader and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s skin colour, just ahead of byelections to three constituencies in Karnataka, has not gone down well in the Congress. Congress candidate from Channapatna constituency C.P. Yogeshwar himself hinted that Mr. Khan’s remarks on Mr. Kumaraswamy are likely to have an adverse impact on the party’s prospects.

Petition by MLAs

Sources in the Congress said close to two dozen MLAs petitioned All India Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjun Kharge against Mr. Khan on the manner in which notices were issued to farmers claiming that their land as waqf property. This forced the Chief Minister to direct officials to withdraw the notices issued to farmers.

Amid this, Mr. Khan stirred up another row when he termed the High Court ruling on the alleged MUDA scam as a “political judgment”. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, acting on a representation, has directed the Advocate General to initiate action against the Minister.

Early years

Mr. Khan, who runs National Travels and has always had celebrity links, entered politics through the byelection to Chamarajpet constituency in Bengaluru in 2005 on the JD(S) ticket after former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna vacated the seat following his appointment as the Governor of Maharashtra.

He famously drove a bus carrying JD(S) legislators to a resort in 2006 when H.D. Kumaraswamy walked out of the coalition government led by N. Dharam Singh. Mr. Khan subsequently won on the JD(S) ticket thrice before jumping to the Congress in 2018.

Some argue that while Mr. Kumaraswamy used Mr. Khan to target the Congress when he was in the JD(S), the Congress leadership is now using him to target his former political boss.

Back in November 2023, his statement that BJP MLAs have to now stand up and salute Speaker U.T. Khader in the Legislative Assembly, apparently referring to Muslims gaining power by the Congress in the State, had been seriously objected to by the saffron party. Earlier, in July 2022, he was warned by the party for his “completely unwarranted” statement that Muslims are outnumbering Vokkaligas in Karnataka. The Enforcement Directorate had raided his properties with regard to the alleged IMA scam in December 2022.

Soured relationship

Mr. Khan and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s relations soured after the former issued statements favouring Mr. Siddaramaiah amid the power struggle between the Chief Minister and his deputy.

Action sought

KPCC vice-president A.R.M. Hussain has urged Mr. Shivakumar to take disciplinary action against Mr. Khan for “embarrassing the party” and the government by issuing controversial statements during the byelections.

“Mr. Khan is not aware of the status and duties of the ministry and is damaging the party and the government. Party leaders must understand that he is more of a liability to the party and the government,” Mr. Hussain said, demanding that the KPCC president issue a stern warning.

Stalwarts from the community

Several leaders belonging to the Muslim community in Karnataka have served in the State and Central governments. Former Ministers such as the late Abdul Nazir Sab, former Railway Minister the late Jaffer Sharief, and former Union Minister for Minority Affairs and former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan have contributed to the State in many ways. While Nazir Sab is remembered to this day for his pioneering work in rural development in the 1980s, Sharief is remembered for his work in extending the railway network.

Published - November 15, 2024 09:10 pm IST