Karnataka minister willing to turn ‘suicide bomber' against Pakistan: Who is Zameer Ahmed Khan
Kicking off another row, Karnataka Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has said he is 'ready to wage war against Pakistan' wearing a 'suicide bomb'.
Zameer's statement came amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in South Kashmir, in which 26 tourists were killed.
The Minister for Housing, Waqf, and Minority Affairs in the Siddaramaiah -led government told reporters Friday: 'I have said this several times — we are Indians and Hindustanis. We have no relation with Pakistan. We are ready to wage war (against Pakistan). As a minister, I am ready to go if I am sent to wage a war. I will go and fight for the country.'
Zameer added, 'If needed, I will go with a suicide bomb. I am not saying this as a joke or out of josh (enthusiasm). If the country needs me, let (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah give me a suicide bomb… I swear on Allah, I will tie it and go to Pakistan.'
Union Minister and senior BJP leader from Karnataka, Pralhad Joshi called Zameer's statement 'childish'. 'Believe in the military and stay quiet — that is enough. You do not need to make speeches or go there. Have faith in our soldiers and intelligence agencies, and remain silent. That will be your biggest service to the country,' he said in a swipe at Zameer.
Multiple controversies
A five-time MLA, Zameer, 58, comes from a family involved in a third-generation transportation business.
He started his political career with the Janata Dal (Secular) and contested his first election in 2005 from the Chamrajpet Assembly seat in a bypoll after it was vacated by Union minister and then Congress leader SM Krishna as he took up the post of the Maharashtra Governor.
A close aide of JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy at the time, Zameer quickly went on to emerge as a key Muslim face of the party.
In January 2006, the Dharam Singh-led Congress-JD(S) coalition government was toppled when Kumaraswamy left the government with 42 JD(S) legislators. To sequester his party MLAs then, Zameer had driven them to a resort in a bus.
Zameer fell out with Kumaraswamy in 2018, when he along with six JD(S) MLAs jumped ship and joined the Congress.
Within the Congress, Zameer formed a close relationship with Siddaramaiah who had also earlier been with the JD(S).
In the run-up to the 2023 state Assembly polls, Zameer had even said that he would vacate the Chamarajpet seat if Siddaramaiah wanted to contest from his constituency. The Congress clinched the polls with Siddaramaiah returning as the CM.
Zameer has been at the centre of several rows. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had raided his premises in the I-Monetary Advisory scam, which came into light after the investment agency stopped paying dividends to depositors. In December 2024, the ED submitted a report to the Karnataka Lokayukta police in a disproportionate asset case linked to Zameer's alleged involvement in the scam. The Lokayukta police have questioned him, while the case is still pending.
In November 2024, Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot directed the Advocate General of Karnataka High Court to initiate action against Zameer for his alleged contemptuous remarks on the high court's order on the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case in which Siddaramaiah's wife was alleged to be involved.
In the 2023 polls, Zameer declared assets worth over Rs 70 crore. Among other businesses, his family also runs casinos in Sri Lanka. He is known for his connections in Bollywood, too. His 50th birthday bash was attended by film stars such as Sanjay Dutt, Shakti Kapoor and Jackie Shroff.
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