Bengaluru: According to Raj Bhavan sources, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has reserved the bill proposing a four per cent quota for Muslims in government contracts for the President's approval. The governor reportedly sent the bill to the Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, marking it for presidential assent. The state government will now forward the file to the president to seek her approval for the bill, which has stirred significant unrest in Karnataka.
In March, the Karnataka Legislature passed a bill aimed at enhancing minorities' access to economic opportunities, despite strong opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP argued that the bill was unconstitutional, as the Indian Constitution does not explicitly allow reservations based on religion. They also criticised the bill as a political move by the ruling Congress party to appease minorities.
The BJP has made this legislation a central focus of its ongoing "Janaakrosha Yatre" (public anger march), a statewide campaign highlighting their objections to the bill and other issues.
Commenting on the development, Chief Minister Siddramaiah's legal advisor and MLA A. S. Ponnanna said, "This is not in respect of one bill, the honourable governor of Karnataka has been acting very similarly to the governors of Tamil Nadu and the Governors of Kerala and West Bengal."
Ponnanna further stated, "Wherever there is a non-BJP government, the BJP is working through the governor's office. This is a very bad precedent, and even after the judgement of the Supreme Court in the state of Tamil Nadu's case, our Governor's behaviour in this manner is unacceptable."
"We are being constrained to move to the Supreme Court," Ponnanna stated.
(with IANS inputs)