Karnataka min. faces backlash over racist remark against Kumaraswamy

Khan’s comment arose while discussing Channapatna Congress candidate CP Yogeeshwara, who recently rejoined Congress after a period with the BJP. Khan reportedly remarked, “Due to some differences in our party, he [Yogeeshwara] contested as an independent. He had no option but to join the BJP. He was not ready to join the JD(S) because ‘Kaaliya Kumaraswamy’ was more dangerous than the BJP.”

The term "Kaaliya" is widely seen as a racial slur targeting darker-skinned individuals. Yogeeshwara is contesting the Channapatna bypoll against Kumaraswamy’s son, Nikhil, who is running as an NDA candidate on a JD(S) ticket.

Calling the comment “racist,” the JD(S) questioned Congress’s commitment to inclusivity, urging Khan's immediate dismissal. They posted on X, describing it as “a new low in political discourse.” Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also condemned the remark, likening it to past racial comments directed at different communities, further intensifying the backlash.