Bengaluru, March 15 Launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led Karnataka government, Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, said on Saturday that "this step reeks of populism".
Taking to social media platform X, the Union Minister also charged, saying: "The Congress government in Karnataka is necessarily indulging in anti-constitutional policies. The state government is promoting a single religion due to its votebank politics and has easily forgotten its duty to protect all communities."
The Congress government has already pushed the state towards economic distress but now is indulging in such anti-constitutional policies at the cost of the overall development of the state, Union Minister Joshi said.
Congress practiced appeasement politics for six decades putting votebank politics above national development, he added.
And even today, Congress is proving that their name is synonymous with appeasement, he underlined.
The Karnataka government has decided to provide a four per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts, along with oppressed and Backward Classes.
Sources confirmed that the Cabinet has approved the proposal, and a Bill in this regard will be presented before the State Legislature during the ongoing Budget session.
The Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, 1999, after amendment aims to provide four per cent reservation in tenders to Muslim contractors in government contracts up to Rs 1 crore, sources said.
The State Cabinet has also approved the limit for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) community which has been extended from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore.
Minority leaders had submitted a request to reserve four per cent of contract works for Muslim contractors, similar to the reservations provided for SCs, STs, and Other Backward Communities.
Considering the request, the state government has decided to implement the reservation.
A Cabinet meeting was held under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, where discussions were conducted regarding the introduction of the Bill.
The Karnataka government has been contemplating introducing a four per cent reservation for Muslims in civil contracts on lines with the reservation provided to the SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes.
The CM Siddaramaiah-led government is all set to bring an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, 1999. The Finance Department has already prepared the blueprint and the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil has also agreed to the amendment, sources said.
However, criticising the state government, the BJP had said that the move was against the spirit of the Constitution and nothing but the "peak of appeasement politics".
State BJP President, B.Y. Vijayendra, claimed that the Congress was leading the state towards violence.
Vijayendra said: "The state government has not released any funds for legislators and when no tender has been called and work allotted, what's the use of reservation?"
Hitting out at the Congress-led state government, the State BJP President said: "Does the grand old party think that only Muslims constitute the minority group?"
"I urge CM Siddaramaiah, if he is real 'Ahinda' (a Kannada acronym for Alpasankhyataru or minorities, Hindulidavaru or backward classes, and Dalitaru or Dalit) leader, he should have enabled marginalised communities and strengthened them economically," the BJP leader said.
"Madivala, Savita and many communities also exist and need support from the state. The government is not bringing these communities into the mainstream. Instead, the government is all set for Muslim appeasement, the people will have to teach them a lesson," Vijayendra added.
"Muslims alone have been granted reservations in education and employment based on religion, which goes against the constitutional spirit. Now, the government is planning to introduce a four per cent reservation for Muslims even in government contracts, which is the peak of appeasement politics," he charged.
"If it was for all minority communities, we have no objections," he added.
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