Vijayapura: Claiming that scrapping of 4% reservation of Muslims by the BJP is illegal and against the Constitution, KPCC Social Justice Cell President, C. S. Dwarakanath said that the decision will not stand the legal scrutiny.
Addressing mediapersons on Wednesday April 26, he said that the BJP has gone against various court judgments that have upheld the reservation for Muslims and struck down any move to scrap it.
He said that removal of reservation for Muslims is unconstitutional and illegal as the Government has not taken the consent of the Commission for Backward Classes of Karnataka.
“It is mandatory for the Government to take consent of the Commission before making any changes in the reservation system in the State. But the BJP Government in Karnataka did not abide by those norms and abruptly removed the reservation to woo Vokkaligas and Panchamasali communities,” he said.
Replying to a statement of BJP leaders that the Constitution has no provision to give reservation on religious bases, Dwarakanath, who is also the Former Chairman of Karnataka Commission for Backward Classes, asked BJP leaders to study the basics of the Constitution.
“Several past reports such as of Havanoor, Chinanappreddy and Venaktaswamy have upheld reservation benefits for Muslims. Since the BJP is deliberately misleading the people, it is giving false information about Muslims reservation,” he said.
“When you cannot take away the reservation of Muslims, then the question of dividing it among other communities does not arise at all,” he said.
Referring to the hate speeches of BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal against the Muslims regularly, Dwarakanath said that Yatnal is against humanity and brotherhood.
“Vijayapura District is known for giving renowned Sufis and Saints who preached the message of unity and harmony. Whatever they said in the form of Vachanas, has been incorporated in the Constitution of India. If Yatnal is making statements against the Muslims, then he is not only insulting the Constitution but also insulting the Sharanas of this region,” he remarked.
Asked why no non-Muslims Congress leader responds to Yatnal’s derogatory remarks, Dwarakanath said that no respectable and dignified person likes to stoop to the low of Yatnal to reply in his manner.
Appealing to the people, mainly the backwards and oppressed classes to vote for the Congress and not to the BJP, he said that voting the BJP is like allowing the party to destroy the Constitutional aspirations.
“We have been touring the State to spread this message among the people in order to bring the Congress to power and to save the constitution and Democracy,” he said.
