Muslim community is not anyone’s property; I belong to all: Khader gives it back to upset Sait

Bengaluru, Jun 15: A day after former minister Tanveer Sait openly expressed his frustration and hit out at two Muslim ministers of chief minister H D Kumaraswamy led coalition government, Urban Development and Housing Minister U T Khader said that a politician should be a representative of all the communities.

What Sait said?

Sait on Thursday hit out at his party leadership for providing ministerial berths to Khader and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan and claimed that both the Ministers have no leadership qualities to lead the minority community in the State.

Sait, who called on AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal and held discussions about growing dissidence after the Cabinet expansion, demanded a Cabinet berth for himself. In the interest of the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party should make him a Minister, Sait said.

Khader’s response

When media persons in Mangaluru sought Khader’s response, he said that politicians should not confine themselves to a community. “Muslim community is nobody’s property. It is wrong to do politics in the name of a particular community. I belong to all communities and work for all the people,” he said.

Khader said that even the party high command had appreciated his work as a minister for health and family welfare for three years and food and civil supplies for two years in the previous government.

"I always try my best to accomplish my responsibilities. But, I am ready to accept suggestions and criticism to improve my performance. Being a veteran politician, Sait too can guide me,” he said, adding that he is also a well wisher of Sait.