Bengaluru, March 5 (NationPress) The Congress-led Karnataka administration is revisiting the possibility of implementing a 4 percent reservation for Muslims in civil contracts, similar to the provisions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Communities, and Backward Classes.

The BJP criticized the state government on Wednesday in Bengaluru, claiming that this initiative contradicts the essence of the Constitution and is merely an example of the "culmination of appeasement politics."

BJP State President B. Y. Vijayendra asserted that the Congress is steering the state towards chaos.

The government, led by CM Siddaramaiah, is preparing to amend the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act 1999. Reports indicate that the Finance Department has already drafted the necessary framework, with Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil also endorsing the amendment.

The cabinet is expected to discuss this issue on Wednesday evening, with plans to present the bill during the upcoming Budget session if approved.

Vijayendra noted that the Congress government has failed to allocate any funds for legislators.

He questioned the relevance of reservation when tenders are not being issued and work is not being assigned.

Criticizing the Congress, Vijayendra asked: "Does the historic party believe that only Muslims are part of the minority demographic?"

He continued, "The Congress party's strategy of minority appeasement is pushing the state towards conflict. They are poised to do injustice to all communities under the pretext of providing reservations for Muslims," he emphasized.

"I call upon CM Siddaramaiah, if he truly embodies the Ahinda principle (a Kannada acronym for Alpasankhyataru or minorities, Hindulidavaru or backward classes, and Dalitaru or Dalits), to empower marginalized groups economically," the BJP leader stated.

He pointed out that communities like Madivala and Savita also exist and deserve state support. The Congress government, he claimed, is neglecting these groups in favor of Muslim appeasement, warning that the public will respond.

Vijayendra remarked that the Congress government perceives only Muslims as minorities, disregarding other genuinely marginalized communities.

"Reservations in education and employment have been provided exclusively for Muslims based on religion, which contradicts the spirit of the Constitution. Now, the government intends to introduce a 4 percent reservation for Muslims in government contracts, which epitomizes appeasement politics," he stated.

"We would have no objections if it were for all minority communities," he said.

He demanded that government initiatives be executed transparently and that reservations be allocated to oppressed communities in accordance with the constitutional principles established by B. R. Ambedkar.

"However, offering reservations based on religion compromises transparency," he added.

Vijayendra highlighted the struggles of traditional occupational communities that are extremely backward, stating that the Siddaramaiah government has "failed" to implement any special programs, schemes, or reservations for them.

Previously, the Congress government amended the KTPP Act, providing 24.01 percent reservation for oppressed communities in government tenders up to Rs 50 lakh. This was further revised in March 2023 to extend the limit to contracts worth up to Rs 1 crore.

A delegation of Muslim legislators and community leaders had earlier submitted a memorandum to CM Siddaramaiah requesting reservations in government contracts for their community. However, the government reconsidered the proposal when it sparked controversy.