BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla Critiques Karnataka's 4% Muslim Contractor Quota
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Synopsis
BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla criticizes Karnataka's Cabinet for implementing a 4% reservation for Muslim contractors, claiming it undermines the Constitution and Ambedkar's principles. He accuses Congress of being anti-constitutional and engaging in vote bank politics.
Key Takeaways
- BJP challenges Karnataka's 4% Muslim contractor quota.
- Poonawalla accuses Congress of opposing the Constitution.
- Reservation based on religion raises constitutional questions.
- Historical context of Congress's opposition to reservation.
- Criticism of Congress's political motives regarding Muslim votes.
New Delhi, March 24 (NationPress) BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has criticized the Karnataka Cabinet's decision to allocate four percent reservation for Muslim contractors in government tenders.
In an interview with IANS, he remarked that the "Congress party is against the Constitution, against reservation, and against Ambedkar". Furthermore, he mentioned that Congress leader and Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, has claimed that the four percent Muslim reservation is not constitutionally valid for government contracts.
Poonawalla stated to IANS, "It is evident that the Congress party opposes the Constitution, reservation, and Ambedkar". Despite their claims, he pointed out that Congress asserts, "So what? We will change the Constitution..."
The BJP spokesperson further criticized Congress, saying, "They claim to be defenders of the Constitution while accusing the BJP of wanting to modify it at any time. However, they are the ones attempting to alter the Constitution by challenging Ambedkar’s foundational principles". He accused Congress of trying to implement policies that undermine reservation and divide the Muslim community based on religion, thereby threatening the integrity of the Constitution.
While criticizing the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Poonawalla added: "This is the same Congress and Gandhi family that opposed reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs)". Historically, the Congress has been against reservation, as noted by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He recalled that this is the same party that imposed a draconian Emergency in 1975, seeking to manipulate the Constitution for political gain and to appease their Muslim voter base. "Is providing reservation based on religion consistent with the Constitution? Rahul Gandhi needs to clarify who the real enemy of the Constitution is", he challenged. He emphasized that the Congress party is anti-Ambedkar and anti-Constitution, highlighting their vote bank politics as a significant threat to the nation's Constitution.
The Karnataka Cabinet approved on March 15 an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act to provide four percent reservation for Muslim contractors in tenders, according to official sources.
Earlier, on March 7, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that four percent of public works contracts would now be designated for Muslims under a new category known as Category-II B during the budget presentation.
This reservation will be allocated for procurement of goods and services across various government departments, corporations, and institutions for suppliers categorized as SC, ST, Category-I, Category-II A, and Category-II B, up to Rs 1 crore, where Category-II B pertains to Muslims.
