Chief Minister Siddaramaiah under fire for misleading people on Muslim reservation
BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has come under fire for allegedly misleading the people of Karnataka regarding his involvement in approving a 4 per cent reservation for Minority Category 2B in contract works. Documents and note sheets from the Chief Minister’s office suggest that Siddaramaiah had approved a proposal to amend the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act to facilitate this reservation. However, Siddaramaiah and his media team have since denied any such proposal existed, leading to accusations of deliberate dishonesty from opposition leaders and critics.
The controversy began with a demand from several minority MLAs, including Siddaramaiah’s political secretary Naseer Ahmed and Minister B. Zameer Ahmed Khan, for a reservation for economically and socially backward communities under Minority Category 2B. The Chief Minister, on August 24, 2024, directed the Finance Department to examine the proposal and submit a report. This directive was noted on an official document, which was later leaked. Despite this, Siddaramaiah’s media group issued a statement claiming that no such proposal was before the government, prompting strong reactions from opposition leaders.
Opposition Leaders Call Out Siddaramaiah’s Alleged Lies
Senior BJP leaders, including R. Ashok and Basan Gowda Patil Yatnal, have launched scathing attacks on the Chief Minister, accusing him of lying to the public. In a series of tweets, R. Ashok mocked Siddaramaiah’s leadership style, describing his “routine” as one of “stumbling and then lying.” Ashok criticized the CM for claiming there was no proposal for Muslim reservations in contract works despite the documented evidence to the contrary.
“You directed the Finance Department to evaluate the request for 4 per cent reservation, and you approved amendments to the KTPP Act. How can you now claim that no such proposal exists? Is this not hypocrisy?” R. Ashok asked in his social media post.
Silence from Siddaramaiah Sparks Further Criticism
The Chief Minister’s refusal to personally address the allegations has drawn further criticism. Neither Siddaramaiah’s official nor personal social media accounts have provided any clarification. This silence, opposition leaders argue, demonstrates an attempt to suppress the controversy rather than confront it with transparency. Basan Gowda Patil Yatnal accused the Chief Minister of avoiding accountability and questioned why junior-level staff were tasked with issuing clarifications instead of senior government officials.
“Is this the administrative efficiency Karnataka expects? When the Chief Minister’s office cannot provide a clear stance, how can we trust this government’s decisions?” Yatnal said in a public statement.
Suppressing Truth or Protecting Image?
Opposition have accused Siddaramaiah of prioritizing his political image over truth and accountability. They argue that by denying the existence of the reservation proposal, he is attempting to sidestep potential backlash from both supporters and detractors. This approach, opposition leaders claim, reflects a pattern of evasion and dishonesty that undermines public trust in his administration.
The allegations against Siddaramaiah go beyond this specific incident, with opposition pointing to what they describe as a history of misstatements and inconsistencies in his political career. BJP leaders have demanded an immediate explanation from the Chief Minister of his actions, urging him to address the public and restore faith in the state government’s integrity.
Calls for Accountability
As the controversy continues to unfold, the pressure on Siddaramaiah to clarify his position is mounting. Opposition leaders and citizens alike are calling for greater accountability and transparency from the Chief Minister. The incident has not only sparked questions about his honesty but also raised broader concerns about governance and the misuse of power.
The Chief Minister’s office has yet to provide a comprehensive response to the allegations, leaving many wondering whether this controversy will further erode public confidence in his leadership.
Documents show CM Siddaramaiah approved proposal
According to documents Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approved a 4 per cent reservation for Category 2B minorities in government contract works. To implement this, the Department of Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation has been instructed to amend the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, 1999.
This decision comes in response to increasing demands for reservation in contract works, including a recent push for SC and ST communities to receive up to Rs 2 crore in reserved contracts. The 4% reservation for Category 2B minorities marks a significant step toward addressing economic and social inequalities within these communities.
Demand for Reservation by Prominent Leaders
The decision follows a letter dated August 24, 2024, from several political leaders, including the CM’s Political Secretary Naseer Ahmad, Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, MLAs Rahim Khan, Tanveer Sait, NA Haris, and others. They urged the government to extend reservation benefits in contract works to economically and socially backward minorities under Category 2B.
The letter highlighted the lack of such provisions for these communities and requested a 4% reservation for construction and contract works valued up to ₹1 crore. The CM reviewed the request and directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department to examine and implement the proposal, which has now been approved.
Amendments to KTPP Act
The 4 per cent reservation will be implemented through amendments to Section 6 of the KTPP Act. According to the proposed changes:
Reserved Contracts: Construction works valued up to Rs 1 crore will have 4 per cent reserved for Category 2B minority contractors. –
Exemptions: If no eligible bids are received from Category 2B minorities after two rounds of tender invitations, the works may be allotted to other bidders.
This amendment aligns with the state government’s earlier provision for SC and ST communities, which began with reservations for works up to Rs 50 lakh and was later extended to ₹1 crore.
The tendering authority must ensure all the above changes
The state government claims the Congress government’s commitment to supporting economically and socially disadvantaged communities. In 2016, the government had already reserved up to ₹50 lakh worth of contracts for SC/ST communities, later extending this to Rs 1 crore.
But the opposition BJP strongly opposing the move of state government claiming it is dividing society and also doing vote bank politics. BJP leaders congress doing appeasement politics for political mileage since even supreme court ruled religion-based reservation is against to law and constitution. The opposition warned of severe agitation if reservation given to Muslims.
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