The BJP's National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh, has criticised the Karnataka government's plan to give Muslims a fifteen per cent reservation in housing schemes. He calls this decision "unconstitutional and illegal," accusing the ruling Congress party of trying to win votes by favouring one religious group at the expense of others
Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa sharply criticised the state government's decision to grant a fifteen per cent reservation to Muslims in housing schemes. Pic/X
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday criticised the Karnataka government over its decision to provide a 15 per cent reservation to Muslims in housing schemes, calling it "unconstitutional and illegal" and accusing the ruling Congress party of engaging in appeasement politics, reported news agency ANI.
Speaking to media reporters, Chugh said, "This is unconstitutional and illegal because in India's Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar clearly wrote that no one can get reservation based on religion."
He also alleged that the decision was aimed solely at consolidating Congress' vote bank and came at the cost of marginalised communities.
"The decision of the Karnataka government clearly snatches the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Hindus. Congress is only looking at its vote bank – that's why they are taking such unconstitutional decisions... We won't let this happen,” according to ANI.
Chugh's remarks follow growing criticism from BJP leaders over the Karnataka Cabinet's approval on Thursday to raise the reservation quota for minority communities from ten per cent to fifteen per cent under various housing schemes.
The decision has also triggered a political uproar, with the BJP arguing that religion-based reservation violates constitutional principles, reported ANI.
Meanwhile, Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa also denounced the decision, calling it a "dangerous attempt to institutionalise communal vote-bank politics."
In a post on X, Yediyurappa accused the Congress government of turning welfare into vote-bank politics and claimed that the new reservation policy deprives SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities.
"Reservation on the basis of religion is unconstitutional! The Congress in Karnataka has converted welfare into a marketplace for vote-bank politics. First, a four per cent quota in government contracts. Now, there is a fifteen per cent quota in housing schemes. Where does this appeasement end? This is a dangerous attempt to institutionalise communal vote-bank politics. It not only robs SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities, but also sends a disturbing message that merit, backwardness, and constitutional principles are secondary to religious appeasement," he wrote.
Yediyurappa further added, "I urge Congress to pick up the Constitution they love to wave at public meetings. Had they read it even once, they would know that reservations are based on social and educational backwardness, and not handed out based on 'who votes for me.' Under the guise of welfare, this government is brazenly pushing religion-based reservation, striking at the very foundation of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's Constitution and dragging his vision through the dirt of appeasement politics."
Meanwhile, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called the move unconstitutional by referring to the Supreme Court's 'rejection' of religion-based reservation.
In addition, responding to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's recent remarks, Chugh said the grand old party had become "directionless" and was now functioning under the influence of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
(With inputs from ANI)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
