Karnataka CM defends Minister over his statements about “Muslim” Speaker’

PTI, Dec 4, 2023, 7:14 PM IST

With opposition BJP demanding the resignation of Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, over his alleged statement about the Speaker, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday tried to defend his cabinet colleague, stating that he has not made any remark deliberately or intentionally.

The Minister for Housing, Waqf and Minority affairs during election campaigning in Telangana had said BJP leaders bowed down before a Muslim Speaker (U T Khader) in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, thanks to the opportunity given by the Congress.

”Why…..he has not made any statement deliberately or intentionally,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about BJP demanding Khan’s resignation.

The BJP has said that it will raise the issue in the Assembly and seek Khan’s resignation.

Hitting out at Khan’s statements about the Speaker, state BJP President B Y Vijayendra had recently said, his statement is anti-democratic, anti-constitution and anti-Dalits, and they should not be taken lightly.

He had even urged the Chief Minister to seek the resignation of Khan immediately.

Meanwhile, reacting to Assembly election results in Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, Siddaramaiah said, ”We won in Telangana, three other states we lost. The decision of the people is final. We will take it sportively and we will learn the lesson from the defeat.”