Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday strongly defended his government’s decision to allocate a 4% quota forMuslims in public contracts, following criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move, part of the recently passed Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025, reserves contracts worth up to ₹2 crore in civil works and ₹1 crore in goods/services for Muslims under OBC Category 2B.
Earlier in Hisar, PM Modi accused the Congress of violating the Constitution by granting reservations based on religion, calling it “appeasement politics” that disregards the socio-economic upliftment of the broader Muslim community. He said the policy undermined the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs.
In response, Siddaramaiah rejected the charge, stating that the Congress aims to empower Dalits, backward classes, and minorities. “We expanded contract reservations to include OBCs and Muslims because they lack economic and social strength. Helping the underprivileged, regardless of religion, is our party’s mission,” he said.
Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar added that the policy targets the economically disadvantaged, not specific religious groups, and ensures broader inclusion. Karnataka’s Home Minister supported the move, highlighting that Muslims form 16–18% of the state’s population and should not remain marginalized.
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