Speaker’s position is a Constitutional honour, says UT Khader underscoring its non-partisan essence

Team Udayavani, Nov 19, 2023, 8:55 AM IST

Mangaluru: Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader underscored the non-partisan essence of the Speaker’s post, emphasizing its constitutional significance over political and communal affiliations.

“The Speaker’s post should not be seen in a political or religious light. It is a constitutional post that transcends everything. The respect shown to me is respect for the post and the seat. We should maintain the dignity of the post,” Khader said responding to a media query about a controversial statement by Minister for Housing B.Z Zameer Ahmad Khan.

“Those who occupy the Speaker’s position should respect that position. I will not respond to Zameer’s statement,” he said.

“I was not made the Speaker on the basis of my religion. I will work according to my capacity. I will work as a Speaker for all, giving respect to all,” he added.

It may be recalled that Karnataka Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan had landed in controversy saying that the Congress made a Muslim — U T Khader — Speaker of the Legislative Assembly before whom the ”best-of-the-best” BJP leaders salute and say ‘Sahab Namaskar’.

During an election campaign in poll-bound Telangana, the Housing, Wakf and Minority Welfare Minister pointed out that no Muslim had ever become the assembly speaker in Karnataka’s history, but Congress gave that respect to a person from the community this time.

”No one (from the Muslim community) in the history of Karnataka had become the Speaker of the assembly. Congress party made U T Khader the Assembly Speaker. Today the best-of-the-best BJP leaders stand before Khader saying ‘Sahab Namaskar’. Who made him? It’s Congress,” Khan told a gathering.

(With PTI and IANS inputs)