1 week Ago
The Karnataka government has rubbished reports of a proposal to provide reservations for Muslims in government tenders. Responding to the media reports, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that there was no such proposal before the government. This statement came amid a raging debate about Muslim reservations in Karnataka, ANI reported.
The CMO's official statement stated, "A report has been published in some media that a proposal to give reservations to Muslims in jobs is before the government." “It is true that there has been a demand for reservation. However, it has been clarified that there is no proposal before the government in this regard,” the CMO said.
Meanwhile, the BJP has slammed the government, accusing Siddaramaiah of indulging in appeasement politics. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka disputed the CM's claim, stating that Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and other Muslim MLAs urged Siddaramaiah to provide a reservation. “Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, CM’s Political Secretary Nasir Ahmed and other Muslim MLAs had written to the CM urging him to provide 4% reservation for Muslim bidders in government tenders.
The CM had approved and had recommended it to the Financial Department,” Ashoka added. Ashoka also criticised former MLA and Congress leader Syed Azeempeer Khadri for claiming that Dr BR Ambedkar was willing to convert to Islam. He added the statement was an "insult to Dr Ambedkar".
The controversy surrounds a proposed 4% quota for Muslims in public contracts for construction works, which would increase Karnataka's overall reservation in government contracts to 47%. Earlier, sources said that the state government was likely to introduce a measure on the subject during the Assembly's winter session, News18 reported. According to the proposal, Muslims belonging to category 2B will be given a 4% reservation in contracts.
"Not just Muslims, other backward classes will be given reservation," the sources added. With this, the Karnataka government is expected to have 47% overall reservation in government contracts, while the ceiling will be raised to Rs 2 crore. Currently, Karnataka has a 43% reservation in government contracts, with OBC in Category-1 (4%) and Category-2A (15%).
If this proposal is approved, the reservation will include Muslims and the quota limit will be increased to 47%. BJP' s Amit Malviya lambasted the Congress for its "gross contempt of the Constitution" and questioned whose share would be cut - SC, ST, or OBCs - if Muslims receive the quota. " Siddaramaiah administration in Karnataka is evaluating a proposal to provide reservations to Muslims in public contracts for construction (civil) works.
If Muslims are given this quota in Karnataka then whose share will be cut - SC, ST or OBCs? In Telangana too, Muslims have been given 4% reservations, eating into the share meant for the socially backward communities," he wrote on X. "In Maharashtra, Congress-led MVA has accepted Jinnah-like demand of the All India Ulema Board. It is all about Muslim votes for the Congress, in gross contempt of the Constitution, which precludes any religion-based reservation," he added.
.
