BACK IN FOCUS!! Karnataka Govt Mulls 4 pc Reservation for Muslims in Civil Contracts
On an earlier occasion too, the same issue was raised basis some leaked government documents. However, the chief minister and the Deputy Chief Minister denied such a move.
The Congress-led Karnataka government is once again mulling to introduce a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in civil contracts on lines with the reservation provided to the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Communities and Backward Classes, say news reports.
CM Siddaramaiah-led government is all set to bring an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act 1999. The Finance Department has already prepared the blueprint and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil has also agreed to the amendment, say news reports quoting 'sources'.
It is learnt that the government is likely to take up the matter in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening and plan to introduce the bill in the Budget session if it is approved.
Slamming the Sate Government, the BJP said on Wednesday that the move was against the spirit of the Constitution and nothing but the peak of appeasement politics.
The reports go on to say the State BJP President B. Y. Vijayendra, reacting to the development, stated that their party strongly condemns and opposes the Congress government’s policy of dividing society and the state based on religion, BJP members urged the government to withdraw its decision to provide reservations for the Muslim community in government contracts for the sake of appeasement.
In November last year, news broke that the State Government was considering reserving four per cent of government civil works contracts up to Rs 1 crore for Muslim contractors, matching their share in the IIB quota. The Chief Minister's office quickly issued a note acknowledging that while there has been a demand for Muslim reservation in government civil works, “there is no formal proposal regarding this pending before the State government.” Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar too declined saying the BJP has spread this canard that Muslims will be provided reservation in government civil works to benefit in the byelections. "But, there is no such proposal.” However, The Frontline magasine quoting a leaked document, said the CM had already approved amendments to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements Act extending existing SC/ST/OBC quotas to Muslims.
