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Journalism of Courage
The Karnataka Cabinet decision to scrap reservation offered to Muslims under the ‘2B’ category received flak from the Opposition parties in the state.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy described the decision as “stealing from someone’s plate to fill another person’s stomach”, which, he said, was antithetical to the ideals of Dr B R Ambedkar.
The four per cent reservation provided to the Muslim community under 2B category was removed by the state Cabinet Friday, which decided to distribute it to two dominant communities of the state — Vokkaligas and Lingayats.
“Karnataka was a model for the entire country when it came to social justice. However, with just the intention of getting votes, the BJP has dug a grave for social justice,” Kumaraswamy said Saturday.
Recalling that it was JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda who had granted four per cent reservation to Muslims under the 2B category, he said that the BJP plans to paint Muslims as “economically backward”, thereby diluting the objectives of reservation. “This is nothing but a misdeed to spoil lives,” he said, accusing the BJP government of sowing divisions between castes and religions of the state.
Though it was not wrong to provide reservation to communities, the former Chief Minister accused the BJP of pushing its hidden agenda which is against reservation.
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said that none of the communities from the state would benefit from the Cabinet decision. “People should not fall prey to such gimmicks. The BJP’s intention is to sow strife between communities by robbing the benefits of one community and handing them over to others,” he said.
He added that including Muslims under the EWS will not be easy. “Reservation under the EWS cannot be redistributed in one state alone,” he said, noting that a uniform law will be required to include Muslims under the category.
Congress MLA and deputy leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly U T Khader said that the decision exposed the anti-reservation agenda of the BJP. “Their agenda is to remove reservation completely. Social justice in the state has gone for a toss,” he said.
