Karnataka Approves 4% Minority Quota in Public Contracts, Faces Opposition

The Karnataka government defends its decision as inclusive, while critics call it unconstitutional and accuse it of religious appeasement.

The Karnataka Cabinet has amended the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act to reserve 4% of government contracts for minority communities, including Muslims.
State Minister Ramalinga Reddy clarified that the reservation is not exclusive to Muslims but applies to all minority communities and backward classes.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced plans to challenge the decision in court, calling it unconstitutional and an act of appeasement politics.
Opposition leaders, including BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, have accused the Congress-led government of dividing society along religious lines for electoral gain.
The Karnataka government intends to introduce a Bill formalizing the amendment during the ongoing assembly session, despite statewide protests planned by the BJP.