Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi on Saturday, 3 May 2025, alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka is "looting" the rights of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) by earmarking ₹600 crore exclusively for the development of Muslim colonies — a move he characterised as unconstitutional minority appeasement to consolidate a traditional vote bank.

The Allocation That Sparked the Row

The Karnataka Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, approved a ₹600 crore plan over the next two years to undertake development works in minority colonies across the state. The announcement was made by Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. The Cabinet also cleared an additional ₹20 crore for the construction of the Belagavi Deputy Commissioner's office building.

What Joshi Alleged

Joshi accused the Siddaramaiah-led government of committing a "serious wrongdoing" by consistently prioritising minority appeasement over the constitutional rights of marginalised communities. He alleged that while the state government hesitates to allocate funds for the development of several MLAs' constituencies, it had no such reluctance in earmarking a substantial sum for Muslim colonies.

Taking a pointed dig at Congress leaders who publicly carry copies of the Constitution and raise slogans of "save the Constitution", Joshi said the party has "little regard for it in practice". He further alleged that the Supreme Court has repeatedly observed that governments must act in accordance with constitutional principles, and that the Congress is deliberately ignoring those observations.

The Political Context

The move is widely being seen as an attempt by the Karnataka Congress government to assuage discontent within the minority community, which reportedly intensified after the party declined demands to field a Muslim candidate in the Davanagere South bypoll. This comes amid a broader pattern of the ruling party facing criticism from within its own coalition over representation and resource allocation.

Notably, this is not the first time the Siddaramaiah government has faced accusations of minority appeasement from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opposition has repeatedly raised similar concerns over welfare schemes and budget allocations since the Congress came to power in the state in 2023.

Congress Yet to Formally Respond

As of the time of reporting, the Karnataka Congress government had not issued a formal rebuttal to Joshi's specific allegations. The state government has, in the past, defended its welfare allocations as constitutionally valid and aimed at addressing historical socio-economic gaps in underserved communities.

The row is expected to intensify as the BJP ramps up its political campaign ahead of upcoming local body elections in Karnataka, with the ₹600 crore allocation likely to remain a flashpoint in the state's political discourse.