As per report karnataka minister and congress leader Zameer ahmed khan stoked a controversy with a racist remark on former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy dubbing him as “Kaliya". The minister said at a gathering “Due to some differences in our party (Congress), he contested as an independent. He had no option but to join the BJP. He was not ready to join the JD(S) because ‘Kaaliya Kumaraswamy’ was more dangerous than the BJP. Now he (Yogeeshwara) has come back home".
Meanwhile JDS launched a massive attack on congress over the racist slur and asked if the party would even call mallikarjun Kharge the same as he is also a Kannadiga. Hitting back, the JDS said that the people of the state would give a fitting response to the racist slur and demanded congress to sack the minister. Distancing itself from the racist remark, karnataka minister and mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge said that no one should make racist remarks against others. He said “Senior leaders will talk to Khan".
Moreover the congress leader responded to the raging controversy and said that he always addressed Kumaraswamy as ‘Kaliya’ with love. He added “I have always called HDK as Kariyanna with love. We were very good friends, I had always addressed him that way. And the same came out while talking".