Former Minister and MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan, who is caught in a controversy over his remarks on Vokkaligas, clarified again on Tuesday that he had not issued any wrong statements against the Vokkaligas.
Speaking to presspersons in Chitradurga, he said: “If at all I had spoken anything wrong against the Vokkaligas, let people show it to me. I will then apologise. Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is my political guru and I have grown amid Vokkaligas and with the blessings of Adi Chunchanagiri seer.”
He also said that during the byelection, Mr. Deve Gowda worked day and night for him. “Now for the sake of the 2023 elections, unnecessary gimmicks are being played against me. I am ready to apologise for any wrong remark, but as I have not issued any wrong statement, there is no question of apologising,” he said.
Replying to a query, he said: “I have not received any notice from the party high command. AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala spoke to me over telephone and asked me to refrain from issuing statements that damage the party’s image. He said that he had asked the KPCC president to not to issue any statement.”
Earlier, addressing a preparatory meeting in Davangere for the birthday celebration of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Zameer batted for the former and claimed that the Muslim community would not grow if anyone other than Mr. Siddaramaiah became the Chief Minister.