Karnataka Reservation Row: Priyanka Slams BJP For Creating Non-Issue In Parliament, Jairam Moves Privilege Motion Against Nadda, Rijiju

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday slammed the BJP for creating a “non issue” in Parliament over four percent reservation to Muslims in Karnataka and party leader Jairam Ramesh moved a privilege motion against BJP leaders JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju.

Both the Houses—Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha—faced disruptions amid uproar by the BJP members over the Karnataka government’s decision to provide four percent reservation to Muslims in contracts.

Lamenting at the BJP, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Wayanad, said, “They have made up their mind that they don’t want the house to function. It’s been many days that they find some excuse or other.”

Her remarks came after the Lok Sabha witnessed a huge uproar.

Even in Rajya Sabha, the situation was the same as Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge too slammed the BJP.

He slammed the BJP after loud protests began, demanding an explanation from him regarding the Congress’ position on the reservation for Muslims.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said, “One of the senior members of the Congress party (Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar), who is holding a constitution post has made a statement that they’re going to change the constitution of India…he has stated that Congress party will provide reservation to the Muslim community and for that they (Congress) will change the Constitution of India. This statement cannot be taken lightly.”

While Leader of the House JP Nadda also stated that in the Constitution, reservation will not be given based on religion.

After the ruckus by BJP members in Rajya Sabha, Kharge took to X and said, “None of our leaders or ministers have said to change the Constitution. It is only the BJP-RSS that keeps on talking about the Constitution drafted by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Slamming the BJP, Kharge said, “To hide their failures, as part of a conspiracy, the BJP stalled the Parliament today so that the case of corruption involving the judiciary that has come to the fore and that no discussion is held in Parliament on the same.”

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh, who is Congress chief whip in the Upper House, moved a privilege motion against Nadda and Rijiju.

In his notice submitted to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar, Jairam Ramesh accused Rijiju of ‘blatantly’ misleading the House on Monday, attributing some ‘false statements’ that he said were allegedly made by Shivakumar.

Ramesh said that it was well established that Rijiju’s comments were a ‘breach of privilege and contempt of the House’ as it was a ‘false and misleading’ statement.

In view of the foregoing, I request that privilege proceedings may be initiated against Kiren Rijiju in the matter,” Ramesh said in his notice.

“D K Shivakumar has since refuted the statements attributed to him as being false and derogatory in nature. Hence, the remarks made by Kiren Rijiju are false and misleading, which constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House,” the notice further said.

In his privilege motion against Nadda, Ramesh said, “The remarks by J. P. Nadda are completely false, lack factual basis and have been made with a premeditated motive to defame the Indian National Congress and its leaders. Hence, these constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House. It is well established that it is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make false and misleading statements in the House.”

“In view of the foregoing, I request that privilege proceedings may be initiated against J. P. Nadda in the matter,” he writes in his notice.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar also said that Rijiju was resorting to ‘brazen and blatant lies’ to malign the Congress.

“A frustrated BJP, its state and central leadership, and its Union Minister Kiren Rijiju are resorting to brazen and blatant lies to malign the Congress Party and me by falsely attributing statements to me,” Shivakumar wrote along with a video statement on X.