Karnataka: BJP opposes 4% quota for Muslims in govt tenders

A day after the Siddaramaiah government tabled a bill in the Karnataka Assembly that provides 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in government tenders (civil contracts), to "overcome unemployment", the Opposition BJP dubbed it as minority appeasement and stated it would challenge it in the court. 

Law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil tabled the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Bill that provides 4 per cent quota for Muslims, who are classified as category 2B under the OBC reservation. 

BJP state president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra accused the Congress government of "bypassing" the opposition while presenting the contentious bill. 

"BJP strongly opposes the  Tughlaq Durbar of the Siddaramaiah government. We will oppose this move both inside and outside the Assembly and, if needed challenge it in the court. Congress has resorted to minority appeasement politics. Does Siddaramaiah’s government genuinely care about minorities?” asked Vijayendra, adding that the Congress, which ruled the country for 55 years failed to prioritise minority education and upliftment. 

"BJP is not against Muslims. It was the Narendra Modi-led BJP government that abolished triple talaq to ensure justice for Muslim women. Also, central schemes like Jan Dhan or Ujjwala were not limited to Hindus alone. Similarly, Yediyurappa’s Bhagyalakshmi scheme was not restricted to Hindus," he stated. 

The issue was raised in the Parliament by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Tejasvi Surya who demanded the rollback of the bill. 

"Congress government in Karnataka is incentivising religious conversion to Islam through this Bill. A secular state cannot take such a measure. This is meant to award contracts to people associated with the banned PFI (Popular Front of India) and KFD who are sitting idle," alleged Surya. 

Dubey recalled that the Congress's decision to form provincial governments in alliance with the Muslim League in 1937 had led to the Partition in 1947 on the basis of religion. "Today, the Congress is demanding for caste census and awarding government contracts based on religion to divide the country for votebank politics," alleged Dubey, urging the Centre to bring a law to end minority appeasement. 

Currently, there is a 24% reservation in contracts for SC, ST and OBC (Categories 1 - 4% and 2A- 15%) communities for works up to ₹1 crore and the bill also seeks to enhance the limit to Rs two crore for SC and STs.