Karnataka Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan has recently courted controversy after he claimed that the numerical strength of Muslims is greater than the politically-dominant Vokkaliga community in the State.
He made the contentious remarks to support Siddaramaiah’s bid for becoming the Congress’ CM candidate in the upcoming Assembly elections. Siddaramiah faces strong comeptition from the party’s State President DK Shivakumar, who happens to be a Vokkaliga.
In a bid to nullify Shivakumar’s recent call to his community to support his Chief Ministerial candidature, Zameer Ahmed Khan reminded him that Vokalligas do not enjoy numerical superiority in the State.
“No one can become CM with support from one community, everyone has the desire to become CM. That’s not wrong! But, it is possible (to become CM) only by taking all communities together,” he stated.
Khan sparked controversy when he said, “I too have a desire to become CM, my community’s percentage is more than that of Vokkaligas. Is it possible for me to become CM, just with the support of my community? Not possible.”
It must be mentioned that Vokkaligas constitute a major vote bank in South Karnataka and the old Mysuru region. Fearing backlash from the Vokkaliga community, the Congress party went into a ‘damage control mode’ and directed Khan to exercise restraint.
Congress warned its Karnataka MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan over his statement that “Muslims outnumber Vokkaligas in the state”
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2022
“You are warned to be careful in future while making public remarks and steadfastly adhere to the discipline and ideology of the party,” reads the letter pic.twitter.com/0o9PaSLudj
“You are warned to be careful in future while making public remarks and steadfastly adhere to the discipline and ideology of the party,” read a letter by Congress General Secretary Randeep S Surjewala.
BJP Vokkaliga leader R Ashoka remarked, “Settle your issues within, don’t bring community, this country runs as per Constitution, where CM is for the whole state and not for a community…Congress is speaking about Vokkaliga. I’m also a Vokkaliga, what rights do they have to speak about Vokkaligas?”
“The community is respected, the community (largely farming) provides food for the society,” he emphasised, adding that Zameer Ahmed Khan must refrain from crossing the Lakshman Rekha.
BJP leader C T Ravi said,”That time has gone long ago, Zameer Bhai…Threatening and blackmailing in the name of vote bank has gone long ago. Let Zameer Bhai remember that one can do politics today by stating ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and working for people.”
