BJP condemns Karnataka cabinet move to hike housing quota for Muslims

Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly R Ashok mocked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is known to champion the cause of the ‘Ahinda’ (a bloc of minorities, backward classes and dalit voters) and said, “After granting 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in government contract works, it is now trying to increase the minority reservation in housing schemes from 10 to 15 per cent. Has the 'Hinda' in 'Ahinda' vanished? Is this social justice? The Congress party thrives on vote-bank politics, and finds new ways to continue its minority appeasement policies.”

"Just like Nehru and Jinnah partitioned India for selfish reasons, today, the anti-national CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar are attempting to divide society in Karnataka on religious lines,” alleged Ashok.

BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar took a dig at the Congress party and said the party had distorted the Constitution by imposing Emergency in the past and now, by giving religion-based reservation to Muslims, it was working against the Constitution and Dr Ambedkar’s ideals.

"When the government is run based on the advice from Maulvis (Muslim clergies), it comes as no surprise if only Muslims get reservation. This is clearly reflecting on the administrative style of the Congress government in the state,” taunted Kumar.

"The Congress government had earlier announced a 4% contract reservation for Muslims in the state budget. Despite strong public opposition, it went ahead with legislative amendments. Now, while that bill is still pending the President’s assent, the government has taken another route to appease Muslim voters,” added Kumar.

Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar who defended the move claimed that there had been no takers for the houses built in the urban areas and the poor among the minority community were willing to move into these houses built by the government under various housing schemes.

“The houses constructed by the Housing Department in urban areas are mostly lying vacant, and minorities are ready to move into these houses, but not others. So, we have enhanced their quota. Many houses are lying vacant in Bengaluru and Mandya and around 20-30 per cent of Muslims in the urban areas are poor and need housing. What should we do when no one has applied for these houses? Should the house be left empty?” asked Shivakumar, admitting that the houses built by the government had no takers.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi slammed the Siddaramaiah government saying the enhanced quota for Muslims would deprive houses to the poor belonging to the SC, ST and OBC communities. “Despite the Supreme Court ruling that religion-based reservation could not be allowed, the Congress government has resorted to unconstitutional ways to appease the minorities. We condemn this move and would like to remind that the state government gets funds under the PM Awaz yojana for housing schemes. We will decide to fight this legally,” said Joshi.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar contended that the subsidy amount given by the centre for the housing schemes was too inadequate.

India