National president of the Janata Dal (Secular) H.D. Deve Gowda has stirred a political controversy by comparing senior party leader and legislator B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan to Mir Sadiq, the Army General who is believed to have betrayed Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan during a war with the British.
The controversy spilled on to the streets during peak hours on Tuesday morning when a group of Muslim religious leaders held a rally in front of Town Hall in Bengaluru. This threw traffic in the busy junction and surrounding areas out of gear.
Demanding that Mr. Gowda withdraw his comment, the religious leaders threatened to organise a State-wide protest. What irked them particularly was Mr. Gowda’s allegation that Mr. Zameer was sending the poor on Haj pilgrimage using “ill-begotten money”.
This controversy has put the JD(S) in a tricky spot just ahead of the zilla and taluk panchayat polls. Given the sensitivity of the issue, Mr. Gowda appealed to the JD(S) workers and party sympathisers against reacting to the protest. “I appeal to party workers and sympathisers to maintain peace during the time of polls,” he said.
Mr. Zameer said that his “conscience was clear” and added that he was “answerable only to Allah.” He also made it clear that he would not campaign for the party candidate in Hebbal constituency and would remain “neutral” regardless of statements made by his party leaders.
Meanwhile, at Gangavathi, legislator Iqbal Anasari also rebelled against the party and dared Mr. Gowda to expel him. Mr. Ansari allegedly got Congress ticket for his supporters and also declared his support to the party.
The perceived “proximity” of both Mr. Zameer and Mr. Ansari to the Chief Minister and other Congress leaders has been a bone of contention for sometime.
