H.D. Kumaraswamy denies ever calling Karnataka Minister B. Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan short

Mr Kumaraswamy clarified that he and Mr Zameer were friends only in politics, but not at a personal level

JD(S) leader and Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy denied ever calling Karnataka’s Minister for Housing B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan short.

On November 15, speaking to reporters after visiting Chamundeshwari temple atop Chamundi Hills in Mysuru, Mr Kumaraswamy disputed Mr Zameer’s claim that they were addressing each other affectionately by the colour of the skin (kariya) and short (kulla) when they were together in the JD(S).

Mr Kumaraswamy also sought to clarify that he and Mr Zameer were friends only in politics, but not at a personal level. Neither he nor Mr Zameer had ever addressed each other in their lives by the colour of the skin or height, he said.

Mr Kumaraswamy recalled that Mr Zameer gave him so much of respect when he was in JD(S) that he once threatened to beat up a party colleague, Basavaraj Horatti, who is now Chairman of the Legislative Council, merely for calling him ‘Kumara’. The incident can be clarified from Mr Horatti, he said.

Claiming that Mr Zameer’s words reflected his culture, Mr Kumaraswamy said he had not come from such a background.

He criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar and Home Minister G. Parameshwar for defending Mr Zameer’s remarks.

Referring to Mr Zameer’s claim about purchasing the family of former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda, Mr Kumaraswamy said Mr Zameer was intoxicated with wealth.

He said Mr Zameer’s remarks will not have any impact on the outcome of the recently held by-poll to Channapatna Assembly constituency. He is confident that his son and JD(S) candidate Nikhil will emerge victorious in the by-election ‘through the blessings of the people’.

SIT probe for claim of BJP offering money to MLAs

Reacting to Mr Siddaramaiah’s claim that 50 Congress MLAs had been offered ₹50 crore each by the BJP to bring down the Congress government he heads in Karnataka, Mr Kumaraswamy called upon the government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegation.

“When several SITs had been constituted to probe various alleged irregularities, let there be a SIT to probe the charges of bribery.”

He said a probe is necessary or else the people will find the charges levelled by the Chief Minister and other Ministers in this regard as ridiculous.

Published - November 15, 2024 01:55 pm IST