Karnataka minister apologises for ‘racist’ slur against HD Kumaraswamy

A day after he raked up fresh controversy for his racist comments on Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka cabinet minister Zameer Ahmed Khan apologised.
The Congress leader said he was sorry if his statements on the Union Minister of Steel hurt anyone’s feelings.
Addressing the media in Mysuru, Khan said that everyone knows that Kumaraswamy and he “are close friends”. He conceded that it wasn’t the first time he called Kumaraswamy ‘kala’ or ‘kaliya’ (black), and clarified that they have been calling each other names out of affection since the early days of their political careers.
“He used to call me short and I used to call him black. When we were very close, he used to tease me for being short and I used to tease him as black. I will apologise if my words have hurt anyone. If this has hurt someone, I will apologise. Why will this statement affect elections? This isn’t the first time I have said this,” Khan stated.
Khan had made a belittling remark on Sunday, commenting on Kumaraswamy’s skin colour, during a campaign in Channapatna. While explaining CP Yogeshwar’s “ghar wapsi” to Congress, Khan had said that Yogeshwar originally quit the Congress due to personal differences, joined the BSP and later joined the BJP as he had no other choice.
“With no option left he joined the BJP as he didn’t want to go with the Janata Dal (Secular). He didn’t want to go with JD(S) because he felt that ‘kaliya’ (HD) Kumaraswamy is more dangerous than the BJP,” Khan had said.
Yogeshwar is the Congress’s candidate for the Channapatna assembly seat, contesting against JD(S)’s Nikhil Kumaraswamy.
As Khan admitted, Sunday wasn’t the first time he passed comments on Kumaraswamy’s skin colour. Three years ago, the minister had said in Bidar: “I’m short and God made me short. God made him dark and hence kala (black). If I called a fair person black, then it’s wrong. Black will be black only, right?”