Vokkaliga votes: Congress tries damage control after MLA's controversial remark amid BJP heat

MLA Zameer’s claim that Muslims outnumber the Vokkaligas has put Congress in a spot

The Congress Monday warned Chamrajpet MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan for his “completely unwarranted” and “inessential” statements even as the BJP mounted a fresh attack sensing an opportunity to make inroads into the Vokkaliga community.

“Your recent public remarks are completely unwarranted and in poor taste,” AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is in charge of the party’s affairs in Karnataka, stated in a note to Zameer.

Khan has been projecting Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah as the next chief minister. Also, Khan’s claim that Muslims outnumber the Vokkaligas put Congress in a spot. Khan’s claim was in response to Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar seeking the support of Vokkaligas, the community he belongs to, for his chief ministerial ambition.

Also read: Zameer Ahmed's 'Vokkaliga' remark riles Congress, BJP in Karnataka

Asking Zameer to adhere to the “lakshman rekha” of the party’s discipline and ideology, Surjewala said, “Unwarranted and uncharitable comments help no one except to create avoidable controversies and bitterness. Regrettably, your inessential public statements have ended up creating unnecessary fault lines.”

Surjewala said no Congress leader should make remarks that go against the party’s “foundational ideology” of “inherent inclusiveness away from the divisions of caste and religion”.

The BJP, which is trying to woo the Vokkaligas, went after the Congress using Khan’s statement. “Don't cross the laxman rekha when it comes to Vokkaligas. Don't forget what happened with Veerendra Patil. Even to this day, Patil's community (Lingayats) isn't with Congress,” Revenue Minister R Ashoka, the BJP’s Vokkaliga face, said. “I am a Vokkaliga. What right do you have to talk about the community? You’re dragging a community that gives food to the state into your street fight. You should be ashamed. Vokkaligas won’t forgive this,” he added.

Even Congress leaders slammed Zameer. “It’s not wrong to say that the Muslim community is strong. To say that (Muslims) are more than Vokkaligas is unnecessary. It’ll be interpreted as Congress not standing up for Vokkaligas,” former Congress minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said.

Read | Siddaramaiah should be next CM of Karnataka: Cong MLA Zameer

Former minister Priyank Kharge said elected representatives must think before they speak. “No one should say things that create a setback to the party,” he said.

Zameer clarified that he had said nothing wrong about Vokkaligas. “After all, it was the Chunchunagiri Mutt pontiff who was the reason I got into politics. Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda is my political guru and it’s because of him I’ve reached this position,” Zameer said.