Vijayanagara, 3 May 

State Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has said he is ready to wage war for the country against Pakistan.

The Minister for Housing, Waqf, and Minority Affairs in the Siddaramaiah-led government claimed that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were to give him a suicide bomb, he would tie it to himself and go to Pakistan to fight.

"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'm ready to go if I’m sent to wage war. I will go and fight for the country. Let’s go," Khan said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters here, he claimed, "If needed, I will go with a suicide bomb. I'm not saying this as a joke or out of josh. If the country needs me, let Narendra Modi and Amit Shah give me a suicide bomb—I swear on Allah (the God), I will tie it and go to Pakistan."

Meanwhile, reacting to Khan’s statement, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called it "childish".

"Believe in the military and stay quiet—that’s enough. You don’t 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.

"Ensuring that such statements do not lower the morale of our soldiers will be Zameer’s greatest service. Big namaskar to Zameer and his party if they just keep quiet," Joshi added.