Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 20 : Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra on Friday strongly criticised the state cabinet's decision to increase reservation for minorities under various housing schemes from 10 per cent to 15 per cent, calling it appeasement politics by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government.
Speaking to ANI, Vijayendra said, "...Chief Minister Siddaramaiah can stoop to any level to appease minorities...This is unconstitutional...Instead of doing appeasement politics, they should stress on providing education to the minorities...BJP is not against minorities, but is against anti-national elements...We will take up this issue in the assembly and also hit the streets."
Vijayendra questioned the Congress's claim of following Ambedkar's ideology, saying, "Congress leaders, including CM Siddaramaiah, repeatedly claim they're champions of the Dalits... but this is not what people expect."
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's schemes, he said benefits like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao reached every section of society, unlike the Congress's religion-specific approach.
"Let them stress upon education to the minorities. Let them educate people. The Congress party, after independence, never did this. If Muslims are still below the poverty line, it is only because of the Congress's attitude," he added.
The BJP chief also announced that the party would raise the issue in the state assembly and protest across Karnataka. "They're only trying to fool the people of Karnataka... The High Court has clearly said it was the fault of the political leadership. At least after the court's observation, the CM should accept it," Vijayendra told ANI.
Referring to the recent stampede in Bengaluru's Chikkaballapur, Vijayendra blamed the Chief Minister and Deputy CM, calling it a failure of governance. "Unfortunately, innocent officials, senior IPS officers, including the Bengaluru City Commissioner, have been made scapegoats. Bureaucracy is losing hope in this government," he alleged.
Earlier, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the move, calling it unconstitutional by referring to the Supreme Court's 'rejection' of religion-based reservation.
Speaking to ANI, Joshi said, "This is against the Constitution. The Supreme Court has also rejected a religion-based reservation. This reduces the quota for OBC, ST, and poor people from the general caste. The Karnataka government is doing the politics of appeasement. I condemn this. We will also approach the court against this."
On Thursday, the Karnataka Cabinet approved an increase in the reservation quota for minority communities under various housing schemes from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.
Karnataka Minister HK Patil stated that this move does not require any new rules to be drafted."The reservation for all minority communities will be increased. There are Christians, Jains, Buddhists," the Minister said.