The Karnataka Assembly on Friday passed a bill proposing reservation for the Muslim community in contracts awarded by the Congress-led state government. The Muslim quota bill proposes a 4 per cent reservation for people from the religion in public contracts.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka passed the bill amid chaos from the BJP-led opposition.
Opposition protests at Karnataka Assembly
The passing of the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill attracted protests from the BJP-led Opposition.
According to a report by India Today, the BJP called the 4 per cent Muslim quota ‘unconstitutional’ and promised to take legal steps against the decision.
As per the report, BJP leaders were seen storming the well of the House and sloganeering against the ruling Congress government. They also climbed up to the Speaker’s seat, deepening the protest.
The BJP leaders also tore off the copies of the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill document and threw them at the Speaker.
Watch: MLAs throw 4 per cent Muslim quota bill document at Speaker
Footage from the Karnataka Assembly also shows that the opposition leader is climbing up the well of the House where the Speaker sits and throwing copies of the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill at him.
Marshals had to forcefully evict the BJP MLAs who had surrounded the Speaker’s chair.
4 per cent Muslim quota bill: Congress and BJP reaction
Opposition BJP justified protests, saying that the Karnataka government passed the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill instead of discussing the honey trap scam.
“Instead of discussing the honey trap scam, the Chief Minister was busy presenting the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill and hence we protested. The government MLAs also tore papers and threw books at us; we didn’t harm anybody,” BJP MLA Bharath Shetty was quoted as saying by the media.
Meanwhile, the ruling Congress government explained that the 4 per cent Muslim quota bill was a step towards ensuring social justice and economic opportunities for minorities in the state.
