Karnataka's Contentious Move: A New Face of Reservation

Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defends the state's decision to reserve 4% of public contracts for Muslims, citing Congress's commitment to empower economically and socially disadvantaged groups. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accuses the Congress of undermining SC, ST, and OBC rights, arguing against religion-based reservation in tenders.

In a staunch defense of Karnataka's recent reservation policy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday justified a 4% allocation for Muslims in public contracts. He argued that empowering economically and socially weaker sections is a core mission of the Congress party, pushing back against accusations of appeasement.

The Chief Minister's rebuttal coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism at an event in Haryana, where he accused the Karnataka government of violating constitutional mandates by offering reservations based on religion and undermining the rights of SC, ST, and OBC communities.

The controversial 'Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025' reserves contracts for Muslims in civil works and procurement, requiring further approval to become law. Responding to criticism, Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar asserted the policy aims to uplift financially unstable communities, striving for inclusive growth.

(With inputs from agencies.)