The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is staging a State-wide protest against the Karnataka government’s decision to grant four per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts. The demonstrations will be held across all district headquarters on Tuesday evening (April 8). In Bengaluru, the protest would take place at Freedom Park at 4 pm on Tuesday.
The VHP has strongly condemned the Bill introduced by the Congress government in Karnataka, proposing four per cent reservation for the Muslims. In a strongly worded statement, the organisation has called the move “unconstitutional”, alleging that it is driven by appeasement politics. The statement cited Article 15 of the Constitution and said that according to the Article, discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth is prohibited.
The statement further said that “The Karnataka State Cabinet has amended the KTPP (Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Act 1999-2000), allowing civil work contracts up to Rs. 2 crore and goods/services contracts up to Rs. 1 crore to have a four per cent reservation solely for Muslims who come under category 2B. This reservation is purely based on religion (Islam), which is unacceptable.”
The VHP went on to add that this reservation is “unscientific” and quoted that in 2005, the Andhra Pradesh High Court struck down a similar five per cent quota for Muslims, highlighting that the verdict is still standing. The VHP also referenced a Supreme Court ruling against religion-based reservations in West Bengal. Questioning why the Karnataka government is ignoring judicial precedent and highlighting the State government’s double standards, the VHP has strongly condemned the move, terming it “vote bank politics”
Uproar in Rajya Sabha over Karnataka Muslim quota
The Muslim quota has been a bone of contention and has already sparked a major row in the Karnataka Assembly, as well as the Parliament session. Last month, the issue rocked the Rajya Sabha when Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that a Congress leader holding a Constitutional position stated that his party might amend the Constitution to grant Muslims reservations. While Rijiju did not name the Congress leader, House Leader JP Nadda went on to state that it was Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar who had said that the party would amend the Constitution to grant Muslims reservations, if necessary. While the BJP has been claiming it to be “unconstitutional” to provide religion-based quota, Congress has been affirming its commitment to protecting the Constitution, refuting any intent to amend it.
