‘Potential to cause the Balkanisation of India’: Tejasvi Surya on minority quota in Karnataka

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya has raised strong objections to the minority quota and policies announced by the Siddharamaiah-led Karnataka government, calling them unconstitutional and divisive.

Surya specifically criticized two major provisions in the Karnataka budget–4% religion-based reservation for Muslims in government contracts and the allocation of Rs. 1000 crores for the Chief Minister’s Minority Colony Development Fund.

“In the Karnataka budget, Siddharamaiah government has made two unconstitutional announcements. One is 4% religion-based reservation for Muslims in government contracts… And another is a very devious policy of allotting Rs. 1000 crores for a policy called Chief Minister’s Minority Colony Development Fund,” Surya said.

He argued that both policies go against the spirit of the Constitution and could lead to further fragmentation of the country.

Surya further alleged that Congress has not learned from its past mistakes, accusing the party of attempting to take India down a path of further division.

#WATCH | Delhi: On minority quota row in Karnataka, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya says, “In the Karnataka budget, Siddharamaiah government has made two unconstitutional announcements. One is 4% religion-based reservation for Muslims in government contracts… And another is a very devious… pic.twitter.com/l3GTf2dVEY

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“Both of these are against the spirit of the Constitution and have the potential to cause the Balkanisation of India. Congress does not seem to have learned its lesson… Congress wants to take India on the path of another partition,” he claimed.

The BJP MP made it clear that his party would not tolerate what he described as “divisive policies,” stating that the BJP would fight the issue through all available legal and political channels, including the court, parliament, and assembly.

“This needs to be opposed; the BJP will fight in the court, parliament, and assembly, we will take the fight to the people of the state and make sure such divisive policies are not implemented,” Surya vowed.

Earlier, BJP State President BY Vijayendra has voiced strong opposition to the Karnataka government’s approval of a 4% minority quota in government contracts.

Speaking on the matter, Vijayendra stated, “The BJP will oppose the implementation of 4% reservation in government contracts by the Siddaramaiah government… We condemn the Tughlak Durbar attitude of Congress. We are not against Muslims, we are against the Muslim appeasement politics… We will fight against this in the House and also on the streets if needed. We will also challenge the same in the High Court.”

Vijayendra further criticized the Congress government’s stance towards the central government, particularly regarding the National Education Policy (NEP).

“PM Modi or the central government don’t need to learn their lesson from this Congress government… They are planning to give 4% reservation of government contracts for Muslims. When the entire nation is following the NEP, why was it necessary for this government to oppose this policy… They oppose the central government every time,” he said.

He stated, “PM Modi or the central government don’t need to learn their lesson from this Congress government… They are planning to give 4% reservation of government contracts for Muslims. When the entire nation is following the NEP, why was it necessary for this government to oppose this policy… They oppose the central government every time.”

“I urge this government to learn a lesson from CM Omar Abdullah, who has openly appreciated central government, PM Modi, and the Finance Minister for helping J&K come out of the economic crisis,” Vijayendra added. (ANI)