The ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka on Monday once again sparred over the budgetary provision of four per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts.
The Congress rejected the BJP’s allegation that religion-based reservation was "against constitutional provisions."
Defending the reservation, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists are citizens of this country.
"We have concerns for minorities and backward communities. When the BJP says it wants to take everyone along, let it appoint Christian and Muslim ministers. Only then does BJP state president BY Vijayendra have the right to speak about equality. Let him read the state anthem written by Kuvempu — then he will understand what makes Karnataka a peaceful garden," Shivakumar told the media.
Hitting back at Shivakumar, Vijayendra said that it was the BJP government, not the Congress, that had appointed Dr APJ Abdul Kalam as the President of India.
Also read: BJP to rake up 4 pc quota issue in K’taka Assembly
"We appointed Najma Heptulla, Justice Abdul Nazeer, and Arif Mohammed Khan as governors. Musician Ustad Bismillah Khan was bestowed with the Bharat Ratna by the BJP government," Vijayendra told reporters.
According to him, Congress's appeasement politics is not new.
The BJP termed this as “unconstitutional misadventure” the Karnataka government’s proposal to provide 4 per cent reservation to the Muslims in government contracts and said it will fight against the move across all levels and even challenge it in the court until it is rolled back.
Earlier on Friday, the Cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, reserving 4 per cent of contracts in (civil) works valued up to ₹2 crore and goods/services contracts up to ₹1 crore for the Muslims.
“The BJP firmly opposes the proposed unconstitutional move and demands that Siddaramaiah government immediately roll back the proposed unconstitutional misadventure,” BJP MP Tajasvi Surya, who represents Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, told a press conference at the party headquarters here.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, claimed that several Supreme Court judgments have stated that there is no provision in the Constitution for religion-based reservations.
In the Karnataka Legislative Council, Leader of the Opposition, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy raised the issue.
He said that religion-based reservation is "not allowed under the Constitution."
"You have granted four per cent reservation to Muslims in contracts. We oppose religion-based reservations. I urge the government through you not to implement it," he stated.
Countering him, Congress MLA BK Hariprasad asserted that the reservation aligns with constitutional provisions.
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