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BJP to challenge Karnataka’s 4% Muslim reservation in court, calls it ‘unconstitutional misadventure’
The controversy erupted after the Karnataka Cabinet on Friday approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced that it would challenge the Karnataka government’s proposal to provide 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts in court, calling the move an "unconstitutional misadventure."
The party vowed to oppose the decision at all levels—inside the legislature, on the streets, and in Parliament—until it is rolled back.
The controversy erupted after the Karnataka Cabinet on Friday approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act. The amendment reserves 4 per cent of government contracts in civil works valued up to ₹2 crore and good/services contracts up to ₹1 crore for Muslims.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya strongly criticized the decision, alleging that the Congress-led Karnataka government was indulging in "blatant appeasement politics" at the behest of senior party leaders, particularly Rahul Gandhi.
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“This patently unconstitutional and prima facie illegal act will be challenged in court. The BJP will fight against this inside the assembly and outside, on the streets, and will also raise the issue in Parliament,” Surya said.
He further accused the Siddaramaiah-led government of jeopardizing national integrity and vowed that the BJP would take its fight directly to the people of Karnataka. “Until and unless this unconstitutional move is rolled back, our fight will continue,” he asserted.
Asserting that the BJP is not against Muslims, Bharatiya Janata Party Karnataka President BY Vijayendra on Monday said that the BJP will oppose Congress's Muslim "appeasement politics."
"BJP is not against Muslims, but we are against Congress's Muslim appeasement politics... Yesterday, I was watching Dy CM DK Shivakumar. He challenged the BJP to give plump posts to the Muslim community. He had challenged the BJP to give MLC and Rajya Sabha MPs to the Muslim community. I want to remind him that it is the BJP who appointed Dr Abdul Kalam as the President and Najma Heptulla, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Mohammad Arif Khan as the governors of states," Vijayendra said addressing the reporters.
(With agency inputs)
