E-Paper
Karnataka’s 4% quota move sparks fresh controversy
BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad said the reservation was introduced with the “full patronage and approval” of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday called the Karnataka government’s decision to reserve 4% of government contracts as “unconstitutional”, saying that the move was part of the Congress’s appeasement of the Muslim community and it weakens national unity.
Addressing a press conference, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the reservation was introduced with the “full patronage and approval” of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
“Siddaramaiah neither has the courage nor the political capital to announce the reservation on his own. There is competitive vote-bank politics at play,” Prasad said.
Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, however, sought to clarify that the state government’s decision is not exclusive to Muslims but extends to all minority communities and backward classes.
Following a meeting of the Karnataka Cabinet, chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act will be amended. He announced reservations in government contracts in the state budget 2025-26, and allocated ₹42,018 crore for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
While he did not specify a community, the budget included category 2B, which comprises Muslims exclusively.
“Under the provisions of Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, the reservation provided to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Category-I, Category-IIA and Category-IIB contractors in works will be increased to ₹2 crore,” Siddaramaiah said.
According to officials, the amendment was cleared on Saturday.
Reservation will be provided in the procurement of goods and services under various government departments, corporations, and institutions for suppliers belonging to SC, ST, Category-I, Category-II A, and Category-II B, up to ₹1 crore, in which Category-II B refers to Muslims.
Earlier on March 7, Siddaramaiah said that 4% of public works contracts will be reserved for Muslims under a category called Category-II B while presenting Karnataka government’s Budget.
Targetting the decision on Saturday, Prasad warned that the Congress’s approach to reservations was setting “new precedents” that could have broader implications.
“What is the limit to this appeasement politics? Will there be separate queues for Muslims for reservations in movies and train tickets?” he asked.
Referring to recent electoral losses faced by the Congress, Prasad stated, “Despite several defeats, they never reassess their approach.”
He also cited former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s past remark that Muslims have the “first right” over the nation’s resources and claimed that Rahul Gandhi has “even surpassed that”.
BJP leader Amit Malviya said, “The Congress government in Karnataka focuses its entire attention on just two things--corruption and appeasement politics.”
Malviya further said that India’s Constitution “does not support” implementing schemes or providing benefits based on religion. “The decisions being made by the Congress government in Karnataka in favor of a particular religious community are completely unconstitutional. Congress is the New Muslim League,” he added.
Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “Some political parties do politics of appeasement. But PM Modi emphasises gratification instead of appeasement.”
Responding to criticism, Shivakumar told mediapersons on Saturday, “Four per cent reservation is not just for Muslims but all minority communities and backward classes.”
On Friday, the Cabinet has agreed to give e-Khata in rural areas that have been approved by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj obedience.
If this obedience is approved, the rural revenue projects and the households in the village station will be equipped, it added.
The Karnataka Lokasewa Commission’s reform measures have been discussed at the Cabinet meeting as the KPSC has increased.In addition, the Cabinet has agreed to the formation of a separate committee for the reform of the Lokasewa Commission.
The cabinet also consulted on the maintenance of the committee’s recommendations.
