'Sweep floor outside BJP office’: Cong MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan to ex-party leader Baig

Bengaluru, 18 August 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: A war of words has broken out between former Congress MLA from Shivajinagar Roshan Baig and Chamarajpet Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan. Zameer Ahmed Khan lashed out at Roshan Baig for making statements against the Congress party and said that Baig shoudl instead “sweep the floor outside the BJP office”. The row began after Roshan Baig told the media that the Congress had been “patronising” the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), for over 10 years.

“Roshan Baig, instead of making false allegations against the Congress party and proving that you are faithfully to the Sanghis, do what Eshwarappa had asked you to. Sweep the floor outside the BJP office,” Zameer Ahmed Khan tweeted, while adding, “...they (BJP) will probably respect your seniority, impose a 10 year moratorium on you for contesting the elections, and then give you a ticket to contest elections in 2023. Please begin work towards this from today.”

On Sunday, former Congress leader Roshan Baig had accused the Congress of supporting the SDPI for over a decade. He had accused the Congress and SDPI of exploiting the poorer sections of the minority community for votes.

“Congress has been patronising SDPI for the past 10 years and then they could not protect their own MLA. Congress is to be blamed for this incident. Police personnel have been working as frontline warriors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Those people (involved in the violence) could have gone to the police or Commissioner's office. What was the need for thousands of persons to gather?” Roshan Baig had said.

His statement was made after the violence in Bengaluru where two police stations and the under-construction home of Shivajinagar Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy was set ablaze by a mob. The violence broke out after Srinivas Murthy’s nephew P Naveen posted a derogatory comment against Prophet Muhammed on Facebook.

Zameer Ahmed Khan accused Baig of “not caring” about the Muslim community while he was the MLA of Shivajinagar. Roshan Baig was expelled from the Congress party after he was accused of being involved in the multi-crore IMA (I Monetary Advisory) scam in 2019.

“For over three decades, while in the Congress party, Roshan Baig did not care about the issues suffered by the Muslim community including poverty, illitracy and unemployment. It is indeed a joke that Roshan Baig, who used innocent Muslims for political gains, is now shedding tears over their problems,” Zameer Ahmed Khan said.

He further indicated that Roshan Baig could have helped the SDPI in the violence that erupted in Bengaluru on August 11. “Why did the SDPI, which never contested polls in Shivajinagar when Roshan Baig was the candidate, suddenly begin contesting elections there? Roshan Baig should answer why the SDPI is contesting elections in Shivajinagar with the aim to break the votes of the Muslim community, which has been a Congress vote bank. The police can find answers to their investigation if they look at why Roshan Baig is suddenly trying to bridge the gap with SDPI and make false allegations against the Congress party,” Zameer Ahmed Khan added.

He further said that Roshan Baig was resorting to “self destruction” by making false allegations against the Congress, while not condemning the derogatory post that was put up against Prophet Muhammed. “Roshan Baig did not utter a single word to condemn the act of accused Naveen, who put up a defamatory post against the Prophet. But he is taking the self-destructive route by talking about the “relationship” between Congress and SDPI,” he said.