PM Modi Criticizes Congress Over Muslim Inclusion In Karnataka's OBC List

In a recent development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed strong disapproval of the Congress-led Karnataka government's move to include the Muslim community in the state's Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. This decision has sparked a heated debate over reservation policies and political affiliations.

It's worth noting that records indicate the initiation of this reservation policy dates back to 1995 when HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal government implemented a 4% reservation for Muslims under a distinct category within the OBC quota. Interestingly, Deve Gowda's JD(S) party is currently allied with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

During a rally in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi criticized the Congress, labeling them as the "biggest enemy of the OBCs." He accused the Congress of surreptitiously granting religious-based reservation in Karnataka by incorporating all Muslim castes along with the OBCs. Modi argued that this move deprived a significant portion of the reservation from the OBC community.

In response to Modi's remarks, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah swiftly defended his government's decision, refuting the claim that the Congress had transferred reservation from backward classes to Muslims. He denounced Modi's statement as a "blatant lie."

Siddaramaiah further challenged former Prime Minister Deve Gowda's stance on the issue, questioning whether he still supports quotas for Muslims as he did when he initiated the measure or if he would yield to Narendra Modi's influence.

Delving into the history of OBC reservation in Karnataka, it's revealed that the Veerappa Moily-led Congress government, prior to Deve Gowda's tenure, announced a 6% reservation for Muslims, Buddhists, and Scheduled Caste converts to Christianity under a category known as "More Backward" within the OBC quota. However, this reservation was challenged in the Supreme Court, and the Congress government collapsed before implementing the order.

When Deve Gowda assumed office, he upheld the reservation decision with amendments according to the Supreme Court's interim verdict. The reservation for Muslims was maintained under Category 2B, with 4% of seats in educational institutions and state government jobs reserved for them.

The political landscape surrounding reservation policies continued to evolve over the years. In 2019, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai proposed abolishing certain OBC categories, including the one for Muslims, which was met with opposition and legal challenges.

Recently, the Supreme Court intervened, halting the implementation of the BJP government's decision to scrap the OBC quota for Muslims, maintaining the status quo in reservations for the backward class community.

The debate over reservation policies in Karnataka underscores the complex interplay between politics, social justice, and identity politics, with various stakeholders voicing their opinions and concerns.