Karnataka Minister of State for Housing, Wakf and Minority Affairs Zameer Ahmed Khan sparked further controversy on Tuesday by saying that Bidar constituency candidate Sagar Khandre’s landslide victory in the Lok Sabha election was due to the party’s overwhelming support from the Muslim community.
Of the total 600,000 votes that Sagar Khandre got in the elections, 200,000 votes were cast by members of the Muslim community who voted en masse for the Congress candidate, Khan said. The community can now approach Sagar Khandre for help and get any issues or problems addressed.
“BJP leaders had to bow before the Muslim Speaker,” the Karnataka minister said at a rally ahead of the Telangana Assembly elections.The remarks drew sharp criticism from leaders of the saffron party, who accused Khan of flouting “constitutional status” to appease the minority community.
Khan on Tuesday said Sagar’s victory had cost the Bharatiya Janata Party a chance of a triple victory in Bidar. “I am happy that the Indian National Congress has won the Bidar seat this year. It is against that backdrop that I said our job (Muslim job) will be done. What is wrong with that,” he asked, adding that the Indian National Congress, however, has support from other communities in the elections.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Parliament R. Ashoka said Khan, who is yet to apologise for his earlier remarks, has once again shown his arrogance and ignorance. “Such a person who is uneducated and whose views are against the spirit of the Constitution, has no right to enter Parliament. I will appeal to the Speaker to ban Mr Khan from entering Parliament,” Ashoka said.
Published June 25, 2024 21:37 IST
