The Karnataka Assembly on Friday (March 21) approved the Bill that introduces a 4 per cent reservation for the Muslim community in public contracts awarded by the state government. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government argued that the Bill aimed to ensure social justice and expand economic opportunities for minorities. However, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly opposed the legislation, labelling it “unconstitutional” and pledging to challenge it in court.
Bill torn, thrown at Karnataka Speaker
The Bill was passed amid turmoil in the Assembly. The BJP leaders stormed the well of the House, chanting slogans against the ruling Congress and escalating their protest by climbing onto the Speaker’s seat. The agitation culminated in BJP members tearing down copies of the Bill and hurling the torn papers at the Speaker.
What is Karnataka’s Muslim quota Bill?
The State Cabinet had earlier cleared the amendment, which reserves 4 per cent of civil works contracts valued up to ₹2 crore and goods and services contracts worth up to ₹1 crore for Muslims. Currently, Karnataka provides reservations in public contracts as follows: 24 per cent for Scheduled Castes (SC), 6.95 per cent for Scheduled Tribes (ST), 4 per cent for Other Backward Classes (OBC) Category 1, 15 per cent for OBC Category 2A, and 4 per cent for Muslims under Category 2B.
Persistent demands had been made to extend similar provisions to Muslims under the OBC Category 2B classification to address unemployment and improve participation of backward communities in government contracts. The Muslim community was included in the Backward Classes list in 1994, with the 4 per cent quota for Muslims under Category 2B initially introduced during Veerappa Moily’s tenure as chief minister, based on the recommendations of the Justice Chinnappa Reddy Commission.
The Bill also reaffirms that implementing these reservations will not require any additional expenditure by the government.
Why is the BJP opposing the Muslim reservation Bill?
The BJP has fiercely opposed the Bill, accusing the Congress government of using appeasement politics and attempting to divide society along caste and religious lines. Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta criticised the government, asserting that the BJP would oppose the move both inside and outside Parliament. He expressed concerns that the Bill would create societal divisions.
In the Lok Sabha yesterday (March 20), BJP MPs, including Nishikant Dubey and Tejasvi Surya, criticised the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill during zero hour, warning that the legislation could deepen communal fault lines. Their remarks led to heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. BJP leaders also accused the Congress of ignoring opportunities to improve the educational prospects of minorities during its decades-long rule at the Centre and in Karnataka.
Accusations of ‘Tughlaq darbar’ and secrecy on Siddaramaiah
In Bengaluru, the opposition leaders intensified their offensive against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing his government of pushing the Bill through without adequate debate. BJP state president BY Vijayendra alleged that the Bill was presented “secretly” on Tuesday, bypassing the opposition. He criticised the government’s approach, calling it a “Tuglaq durbar”, and vowed that the BJP would fight the legislation in and outside the assembly and, if necessary, challenge it in the high court.
Vijayendra further accused the Congress of attempting to portray the BJP as anti-minority, asserting that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government had demonstrated its commitment to protecting minority rights by abolishing triple talaq and ensuring justice for Muslim women. He argued that if the Congress government truly cared about minority welfare, it would have prioritised improving access to quality education for Muslims during its years in power.
As tensions continue to escalate, the BJP remains adamant that it will pursue all legal and political avenues to oppose the Bill, while the Congress maintains that the legislation is a necessary step to promote inclusivity. Business Standard