In a move that has ignited a political firestorm, the Karnataka government has decided to increase the reservation for minority communities in housing schemes from 10 percent to 15 percent. This decision, announced by Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, has drawn both support and criticism, particularly from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The government clarified that this increase does not come at the expense of any other community's housing quota. Shivakumar emphasized that the government is not reallocating the housing quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to accommodate this increase for minorities.
The decision was made during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Shivakumar explained, "I want to clarify this to everyone. First of all, there was the Sachar Committee report. Secondly, in rural areas, there was already a 10 percent quota for minorities in housing schemes. However, in rural areas, the scheme lapsed due to the smaller minority population." The Deputy Chief Minister further elaborated that the 10 percent quota for minorities in rural areas was underutilized due to the lack of a significant minority population in those regions. Consequently, the unused quota is being shifted to urban areas where there is a higher demand.
"More or less, 90 percent of people from the Scheduled Caste community have already availed housing benefits. The new beneficiaries still need to lay the foundations for their houses. Without that, we can't release funds. So, in view of this, our Minister for Housing, Zameer Ahmad Khan, decided to shift the unused quota to urban areas. That's all this is," Shivakumar explained. Despite these clarifications, the BJP has strongly opposed the decision, accusing the Congress-led government of engaging in appeasement politics.
Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa criticized the move as an "unpardonable offence," arguing that it provides excessive benefits to minority communities at the expense of others. He urged the government to focus on development and ensure justice for all sections of society. Yediyurappa also alleged rampant corruption within the state government, claiming that development works have come to a halt. The BJP's opposition is rooted in the belief that the increase in minority reservation undermines the Constitution by introducing religion-based reservations.
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla likened the Congress government's actions to those of the Muslim League, accusing them of engaging in "Jinnah-style" politics. The party has indicated that it may pursue legal action against the decision, with a commitment to stand with public outrage and fight against what they perceive as injustice. In response to these allegations, Shivakumar maintained that the government's decision is aimed at ensuring equal rights and livelihood for all communities. He stated, "Can we allow housing schemes to remain underutilized? Even the allocations made to SCs should not go to waste. Once the allotments for SCs are done, we allow the general and OBC categories to avail the benefits. We are not trying to appease any community. Our goal is to ensure equal rights and livelihood for all."
The political storm surrounding this decision is not new in the context of Karnataka's history. The state has witnessed similar controversies in the past, particularly concerning reservations and allocations based on community lines. The debate over reservations has often been a contentious issue, with various political parties using it as a tool to mobilize support from different community groups.
