Ahead of bypolls reports of quota for Muslims in contracts hit K’taka govt; CMO denies

Bengaluru: Reports of an alleged proposal to provide reservation in allotment of contracts by the Karnataka government to Muslims has stirred a controversy ahead of the crucial bypolls to three Assembly segments on Wednesday. However, the news has been denied by the Chief Minister’s Office.

Reacting to the reports, the CMO clarified on Tuesday that there was no proposal before the government to provide reservation for Muslims in allotment of contracts and termed it as false news.

“It is true that there has been a request for reservations in allotment of contracts, but it has been clarified that there is currently no such proposal before the government,” the CMO stated.

Sources claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has consented to 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts under Category 2B in constructions of not more than Rs 1 crore.

To facilitate the reservation for Muslims, the state government is preparing to amend the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, sources said.

Prominent leaders from the Muslim community had written a letter to CM Siddaramaiah in this regard and demanded reservation for minorities under Category 2B on August 24.

Minister for Waqf and Tourism Zameer Khan, Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Nasir Ahmad, MLAs Raheem Khan, Tanveer Sait, N.A. Haris, Rizwan Arshad, Aseef Sait, Kaneez Fathima, H.A. Iqbal Hussain, Bilkis Bano, Chief Whip Saleem Ahmed and senior leader Abdul Jabbar had written a letter in this regard demanding reservation in contracts.

They demanded that for Category 2B, which is economically and socially backward, no reservation is given in contract works. Necessary orders must be given for Category 2B representing minorities.

Sources claimed that following the petition, CM Siddaramaiah has given directions to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department to verify it and present it to him.

The Finance Department has verified the petition and CM Siddaramaiah had consented to the proposal, sources claimed.

The CM Siddaramaiah-led government had provided reservation for SC and ST categories in contracts up to Rs 50 lakh in 2016 and it was later increased to Rs 1 crore.

At present, Karnataka has reservation in civil works contracts for SC/STs (24 per cent) and OBC contractors belonging to Category-1 (4 per cent) and Category-2A (15 per cent). All of these total up to 43 per cent.