New Delhi [India], March 17 : After the Karnataka cabinet approved 4 per cent reservation for minority contractors in tenders, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday said that reservation only on the basis of religion is unconstitutional and blatantly illegal.
Speaking to ANI, Surya also claimed that CM Siddaramaiah has also proposed a Rs 1000 crore CM Muslim Colony Development Fund.
"Reservation only based on religion is unconstitutional, blatantly illegal, and has the potential of threatening the country's national unity and security. The framers of the Constitution, including Babasaheb Ambedkar, had opposed this idea tooth and nail. He had called this idea a fatal dose against National integrity and that this idea will lead to the balkanisation of India," he said.
"The CM has also proposed a Rs 1000 crore CM Muslim Colony Development Fund. What the hell is this? You say you don't have money to even fill up potholes in the city of Bengaluru, but you can pay such a huge amount for Muslim Colony Development," the BJP MP said.
The Karnataka state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors, official sources said.
The decision was taken on March 14 in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Cabinet Hall of the Vidhan Sabha. Official sources added that the amendment will be made after the KTPP act is tabled in the ongoing assembly session.
However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has clarified that the state government's decision to provide a four per cent reservation in government contracts is not exclusive to Muslims but extends to "all minority communities and backward classes."
Earlier today, state Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that all five to six minority communities will come under this reservation.
"BJP always does nonsense things... There is a reservation for SC/ST. Now, we have given reservations to minorities. There are 5 to 6 minority communities... All will come under this reservation, not just one community," Ramalinga Reddy said addressing the media.