Bengaluru, Apr 14 (PTI) Strongly defending his government’s move to provide 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday, questioning why shouldn’t it be done, said giving strength to anyone who are economically and socially weak, is the mission and commitment of the Congress party.

Alleging that he is being labelled as anti-upper class, the CM said he stands with those who have been deprived of opportunities and those who haven’t got justice.

The CM’s defence, interestingly, came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking at Hisar in Haryana accused the Congress government in Karnataka of snatching away the rights of SC, STs and OBCs, and giving reservation based on religion, with respect to tenders.

The Constitution clearly states that there cannot be reservation based on religion, the PM said.

The ‘Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025’ was passed by the legislature last month reserving for Muslims 4 per cent of contracts in (civil) works valued up to Rs 2 crore, and goods/services procurement contracts up to Rs 1 crore.

The Bill that was passed by both houses of the state legislature, despite opposition from BJP, now requires the Governor’s assent for it to become Act.

“To give strength to Dalits, backward classes and minorities, economically and socially, we have given reservation in contracts. First I did it (for contracts) up to Rs 50 lakh, then increased it to Rs 1 crore. Now we have made it up to Rs 2 crore — for OBC Category 1, 2A , and also 2B which is Muslims. They (BJP) made it a big issue alleging appeasement,” Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking at the Ambedkar Jayanti event here, he said, “Do Muslims have strength economically and socially? Are they educated? Are they economically capable? Then why shouldn’t it be done?” Pointing out that the BJP has been accusing Congress party of Muslim appeasement, the CM said, “Giving strength to anyone, who doesn’t have the strength economically and socially — irrespective of whoever it is in the society — is the mission and commitment of the Congress party.” False propaganda is being spread, projecting Siddaramaiah as “anti upper class”. “I’m not opposed to anyone, I’m not opposed to any community. Standing in support of those who have been deprived of opportunities, those who haven’t got justice, is the teaching of our Constitution and Babasaheb Ambedkar,” he said.

Reacting to the PM’s remarks, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, the Congress and the government’s aim is to uplift those who are not financially stable and to bring them to the mainstream, and to achieve this the party will look at every section of the society.

“Why should we snatch from anyone? Opportunity is being given to everyone….” he added. PTI KSU KH