- विज्ञापन -
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that 4% of public works contracts will be reserved for Muslims under a new category, Category-II B, as part of the state government’s Budget. This reservation applies to procurement of goods and services across various government departments, corporations, and institutions for suppliers from SC, ST, Category-I, Category-II A, and Category-II B, up to Rs 1 crore, with Category-II B specifically for Muslims.
BJP leader Amit Malviya strongly opposed the move, arguing that it undermines the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as outlined in the Indian Constitution. He criticized the decision, stating that religious reservations are unconstitutional and accusing the Congress party of using such measures for vote-bank politics, thereby disregarding the rights of other marginalized communities.
The BJP labeled the Budget a “Halal Budget,” accusing the Congress of appeasing the Muslim community at the expense of SCs, STs, and OBCs. The party highlighted various provisions in the Budget aimed at benefiting Muslims, including reservations in government contracts, Rs 50,000 assistance for Muslim weddings, Rs 150 crore for Waqf properties and graveyard infrastructure, and other initiatives like fee concessions for Muslim students and self-defense training for Muslim girls. They argued that there was no focus on the needs of other communities.
BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari criticized the Budget, calling it a “modern Muslim League” Budget, and compared the state’s governance style to that of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Pakistan.
On the other hand, Congress leader Ajay Singh praised the Budget as “historic,” noting that it was Siddaramaiah’s 16th Budget and included an impressive allocation of Rs 4,09,549 crore, marking the first time the Budget had crossed the 4 lakh crore mark. Singh emphasized the implementation of government guarantees and a focus on infrastructure development, particularly roads.
