New issue for political tussle: Muslims being stripped from the facility they had been enjoying ever since 2004 under the Other Backward Classes (OBCs’) bracket and placing them on par with forward communities like Brahmins under EWS has added fuel to the ongoing political tussle between the ruling and opposition parties, while the latter is already on a combat mode against the ruling dispensation.
CM defends shift in stance: Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Minister has been vociferously defending the change of stance by claiming that he has been successful in distributing sweets despite being bitten by the honeybees. “Congressmen had always been cautioning me of being bitten by bees if beehive (Reservation) is touched. Knowing full well that you will never get honey without being bitten by the bees I have dared to touch and distribute honey”, he claimed.
Minorities’ rights safeguarded: He rebuked the allegation that the four per cent of the reservation to Muslims has been made way to the dominant Veerashiva-Lingayats and Muslims. “On the other hand, the four percentage reservation to Muslims has been withdrawn and provided with ten percentages under the Economically Weaker Sections’ (EWS), category while the previous parameters for minorities continue to remain the same. In this way, minorities’ rights have been safeguarded”, he claimed.
The decision only after study, cabinet committee: Chief Minister recalled-“The reservation controversy had been continuously prolonged from the past three decades. Although, we had a government earlier Congress had played spoilsport. They were under the illusion that BJP can do nothing about the issue. But, this time around we have studied the reports, a cabinet committee was formed and only after a formal process a decision has been taken”.
Union Home Minister showers praise: Amit Shah, Union Home Minister showering praises over the state government’s resolve to do away with the religion-based reservation patted the Bommai government saying-“Religion-based reservation has been bid adieu in the state. Congress and their friendly parties were in the practice of providing reservations much against the aspirations of the constitution. But, the state government has dealt with a fatal blow to such tendencies”.
KPCC drubs as unscientific policy: DK Shivakumar, President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has drubbed the shift as an unscientific policy. He has also announced revoking the policy if elected to power. He has hit hard at the development and termed it as anti-people. “The four per cent of reservation provided under 2B category to the minorities’ community has been seized all of a sudden in an unconstitutional manner. BJP is trying to sow seeds of enmity among various communities. A systematic ploy is being deployed to divide the society in the state and reservations are not the property of the ruling party to distribute at their whims and fancies”, he has charged.
Policy to hoodwink people: He has also accused-“Both, the centre and state are into politics of vengeance. The BJP government in the state has altered the reservation pattern not once or twice but three times. The reservation provided to Muslims has been snatched away without any recommendation by the state Backward Classes commission. Bommai government raised the Scheduled Castes reservation proportion from 15 to 17 per cent and Scheduled Tribes pattern from 03 to 07 per cent on 26 December 2022. As a result, the reservations have gone to 56 per cent, but no recommendation has been forwarded to the centre neither for including the same under Schedule 9 nor for a constitutional amendment”, he contended.
Muslims entitled for reservations: R Vijaybhaskar Reddy, senior Advocate of the state high court opines-“The Muslim community in the state continues to remain backward from educational, social and economical or whatever perspectives you wish to look from apart from all the tall claims being made for their development so far. In comparison to Christians, Jains, Parsees and Sikhs, Muslims are far away from developmental factors. Perhaps, they deserve extension of reservations just like any other backward communities”.
Continuation of victimization policy: Dr Khasim Sab, General Secretary of Karnataka Muslim Unity organization has blasted the state government over the withdrawal of four percentages from the 2B category under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) section and accused the BJP government of continuing with its step-motherly Muslim victimization agenda just like over the matters of Hijab, Azan and Cow slaughter earlier.
Reservations based on Commission report: He informed-“A Minorities Commission was constituted under the chairmanship of K. Rehman Khan during the tenure of M. Veerappa Moily as the state chief minister. The commission submitted a report enlisting the educational, economical and social backwardness of the Muslims and suggested several measures, including reservations for their development on par with other communities in the society…
…Recommendation of six per cent: Following the findings of the Commission report, the state government made a provision of six per cent under the OBC category. However, as the hike was over and above the 50 per cent ceiling, the Supreme Court quashed the proposal and hence it was lowered to four per cent…
…Reservation shifted and not cancelled: In the present situation, reservation to Muslims has been shifted to 10 per cent of EWS from four per cent of OBC and not withdrawn. However, there is no clarity in the EWS regarding the provision to Muslims. It is very clear from the announcement that the motive is to deny the privileges due to Muslims apart from being an unconstitutional move. It is also set to transform a rift in the society apart from a consolidation of votes in the ensuing general elections in May…
…No basis for shifting: Also the state Backward Classes Commission headed by Jayaprakash Hegde has not submitted any report officially, recommending shifting of reservation parameters to Muslims”, he complains.
-Manohar Yadavatti
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