Forest Minister Will Have To Work For Muslims With 'Head Bowed:' K'taka Min Zameer Ahmed

Bengaluru: Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister in the Karnataka government Zameer Ahmed, on Tuesday, sparked controversy at a Waqf Adalat in Bidar when he allegedly said that the work for the Muslims will have to be done by Minister for Forests and Environment Eshwar Khandre with his 'head bowed.'

The controversial remarks against the forest minister were made in the wake of the forest department's refusal to allocate land for cremation. Ahmed responded to a complaint raised by a man who claimed that there was no space anywhere nearby for burials that had been taking place in the forest for a long time, by saying, "The work of Muslims will have to be done by Khandre with his head bowed. Khandre's son Sagar won the Lok Sabha elections with Muslim votes. I'll talk to Eshwar Khandre, I'll do it."

Ahmed said the same as he spoke on the issue of a burial ground that fell under the forest department.

Congress Ministers Demand 3 Deputy CMs

Seemingly expressing his displeasure against ministers demanding three more deputy chief minister posts in Karnataka, state Congress President DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said the party would respond to them appropriately.

Currently, Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is the only DCM in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. Some of the ministers in the cabinet have been pitching for DCM posts to be given to leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities.

"You people (media) put in the news if someone says something. Why should I say no to people who are happy (by appearing in the news)... Let anyone make any demand, and the party will respond to them appropriately. Simple," Shivakumar told reporters here in response to a question.

Asked whether there is a plan in the party to have more deputy chief ministers, he said, "You please meet Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC president) and our in-charge General Secretary or ask the Chief Minister."

A section within the Congress is said to be of the opinion that the statement by ministers seeking three more DCM posts was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah’s camp to keep Shivakumar in check, amid talks that he might seek the CM post after two-and-a-half years of this government’s tenure, and to counter his influence both in the government and the party.

Zameer Pitches for 3 Deputy CMs

The ministers - Co-Operation Minister K N Rajanna, Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and a few others - who have pitched for three more DCMs are considered close to Siddaramaiah.

DK Shivakumar the Only Dy CM: Congress

The Congress had decided that Shivakumar would be “the only” deputy CM amid stiff competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the chief minister’s post after the assembly election results in May last year.

It was also said to be a "commitment" made by the Congress leadership to Shivakumar while convincing him to give up his claim for the CM post and to take up the role of deputy chief minister.

Asked whether he or his brother and former MP DK Suresh would contest in the assembly by-polls from Channapatna, Shivakumar, who has recently been making repeated visits to the segment, did not want to give any direct response but indicated that he may contest. "My brother is not interested, as people have decided to give Suresh a rest (through defeat in Lok Sabha polls), but there is a desire to work for the party, as people there (Channapatna) have trusted us and given us (Congress) about 85,000 votes (in Lok Sabha polls. We have to save them," he said.

People have given Congress power in the state by giving 136 seats (including independents), he said. "We have to save the people there (in Channapatna). Nothing has happened there, despite big people having enjoyed power from there, people have a feeling that nothing has been done for them. So we want to do something. Earlier too we have done our bit. When I was the minister, a part of Channapatna was under my constituency earlier. It is the right time to serve the people and the poor there." (with PTI inputs)