In Karnataka, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is debating a proposal that has likely increased the threshold for reservation in civil construction works before government agencies of up to ₹1 crore to as high as 4%. This move will drastically alter the present structure of reservations in the State and push the overall quota on government tenders to as high as 47%.
Presently Karnataka has a structured reservation system for public civil work contracts, which stands at 43%. That includes SCs and STs at 24%, OBC contractors in Category-1 at 4% and Category-2A OBCs at 15%. This goes into detail to include a Muslim quota of 4% that would push the overall reservation for government contracts to 47%. It adds that much in terms of increasing tender allocations.
Details Of The 4% Muslim Quota Proposal
Even as debates continue in the public and political arena concerning whether reservations should be extended to Muslims or not, news breaks that a proposal to bring Muslims under the reservation umbrella has arrived. Whereas the Congress government was busy tinkering with the idea of bringing Muslims into the reservation scheme, to reports in the media that took Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office’s saying no formal proposal in relation to this is under consideration at present.
“It’s true that there is a demand to provide reservation for Muslims in government contracts, but there is no proposal before the government right now,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed.
Political Reactions And Backlash
The proposal invited sharp criticism from political leaders, particularly from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “If Muslims are given this quota in Karnataka, then whose share will be cut – SC, ST, or OBCs?”, Amit Malviya, chief of the BJP IT cell questioned in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Malviya moved on to point out how similar reservations in other states are contested, such as in Telangana and Maharashtra, where Muslim quotas were granted at the expense of other oppressed communities. He further accused the Congress party of being willing to compromise Constitutional principles that stand against reservations based on religion if it ensured them Muslim votes.
The controversy over the proposed 4% Muslim quota brings into focus the issue of the reservation policy in India, which has been sensitive and contentious for so many decades. The loudest critics against this even amid the proponents arguing that this is necessary for social and economic upliftment for the community have always been on the other side because it undermines very principles of equality carved into India’s Constitution.
While the Siddaramaiah government is mulling this step, it remains to be seen if this proposal works and filters through to be tabled in the Karnataka Assembly during the winter session.
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