BJP to protest against 4% reservation for Muslims in public contracts inside & outside legislature

Belagavi (Karnataka), Mar 16 (PTI) Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Sunday said his party will strongly oppose and protest both inside and outside the state legislature, against the Congress government's decision to introduce a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, calling it "unconstitutional" and "Sarkaari Zihad".

This government has become a "paper tiger" with no development and is only focused on minority appeasement, he alleged.

"The Chief Minister in his 16th budget presented recently (March 7), has announced a 4 per cent reservation to Muslim contractors in government tenders, a decision has also been made in this regard at the cabinet meeting on Friday. This decision is unconstitutional," Vijayendra said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said that there is no mention of reservation based on religion in the constitution.

"This decision of the government is a conspiracy to create a rift or divide or gap between the religions. It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister is involved in this. The BJP strongly condemns this appeasement politics, the party will fight and protest against this undemocratic stand of the government both inside and outside the state legislature," he added.

On Friday, the Cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, reserving 4 per cent of contracts in (civil) works valued up to Rs 2 crore and goods/services contracts up to Rs 1 crore for Muslims.

At present, Karnataka has reservation in civil works contracts for SC/STs (24 per cent) and OBC contractors belonging to Category-1 (4 per cent) and Category-2A (15 per cent). There were demands to add Muslims under Category-2B of the OBCs with a reservation of 4 per cent.

Later in a post on 'X' Vijayendra said, "4 per cent Today, 100 per cent Tomorrow! This is the New "Sarkaari Zihad" that the Siddaramaiah government is imposing on Hindus and ensuring systematic discrimination against the SCs, STs & OBCs!" "This is besides the Land Zihad through Waqf Board, Anti National Zihad - "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans inside Vidhana Soudha gets support of Congress ministers, Economic Zihad- unreasonable funds allotted to Waqf board and Muslim welfare, whereas at the same time - SC/STs are being robbed by diverting the funds meant for their welfare", he said, this is the extent of Muslim appeasement that Karnataka Congress government is indulging in against the principles of democracy laid out by the Constitution.

Pursuing the divide and rule policy employed by the British, Siddaramaiah is pitting one religion against the other, Vijayendra said.

"Won't be wrong to say that current administration resembles a reincarnation of Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan's royal court of assembly, where anything that is anti Hindu instantly gets ratified. Both of them would be very proud about this Karnataka Congress government." Karnataka BJP will lead the protests both inside and outside the Assembly and ensure that justice prevails to every religion, he added. PTI KSU ADB

Source: PTI