The Karnataka Authorities has introduced a rise within the housing quota for minority communities from 10% to fifteen%, sparking a robust backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The state cupboard made the choice on Thursday, triggering a heated disagreement between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
What the brand new quota means
The brand new provision applies to numerous housing schemes applied by the state’s Housing Division throughout city and rural areas. In accordance with Karnataka Legislation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, the transfer goals to help the houseless among the many state’s minority communities, together with Muslims, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists. “The Centre has instructed us to evaluate the scarcity of housing for minority communities. We’ve got acted to uplift these in want,” Patil mentioned, defending the choice.
BJP claims “appeasement politics”
BJP State President Vijayendra Yediyurappa slammed the transfer as “unconstitutional” and an instance of “appeasement politics” by the Congress. “Reservation on the premise of faith is unconstitutional. The Congress has turned welfare right into a market for vote‑financial institution politics — first 4% in authorities contracts, and now 15% in housing schemes. This can be a harmful try to institutionalise communal politics. It robs SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful alternatives,” he mentioned.
BJP MP Jagadish Shettar says, “From the start, no matter is feasible, Congress govt do it simply to achieve Muslim votes — that’s why they bask in appeasement politics. First, they introduced a 4% reservation in contracts, which has now been challenged in court docket and is pending. Now, they’re giving reservations in housing allotments… Restricted appeasement is one factor, however that is extreme. The Congress occasion has solely survived due to Muslim assist. As a consequence of all these appeasement insurance policies, time will come when the Congress authorities will collapse.”
BJP chief Shehzad Poonawalla mentioned the Congress-led Karnataka authorities ‘behaves like Jinnah’ and a ‘trendy illustration of the Muslim League’.
“The Congress Get together serves as the trendy illustration of the Muslim League. It behaves like Jinnah, who divided India alongside communal strains… They’ve said that Muslims have first rights to the nation’s assets. They’ve taken away SC, ST, and OBC reservations and allotted them to the Muslim neighborhood on non secular grounds, which contradicts Ambedkar and the structure. They’ve granted reservations to Muslims in civil contracts as properly, which works towards the constitutional spirit. Now, they’re doing this solely to rub salt into the injuries of the Hindu neighborhood. For them, Hindus don’t matter,” mentioned Poonawalla.
What Karnataka govt mentioned in defence?
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar argued that many state‑constructed properties in city areas remained vacant as a consequence of lack of curiosity from normal candidates. “In sure areas, 20–30% of the minority inhabitants is poor, and the housing lies empty. Ought to the homes be left vacant?” he requested.
He additionally emphasised that the brand new quota doesn’t have an effect on SC, ST, and OBC allocations. “These are surplus items. Minorities have proven curiosity, and the state is responding to their housing wants,” mentioned Shivakumar.
Authorized challenges
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the transfer contradicts a Supreme Courtroom ruling that forbids faith‑based mostly quotas. “This may cut back the quota for SCs, STs, and the overall caste. We’ll problem this in court docket,” Joshi mentioned.
