THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Bengaluru, March 21: A heated session unfolded in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly as the ruling Congress government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, passed a Bill granting a 4 per cent reservation for Muslim contractors in government tenders. The opposition BJP fiercely opposed the move, labeling it unconstitutional and announcing plans for a legal challenge.
Tensions escalated when BJP MLAs stormed the well of the House, raising slogans against the government. Some climbed onto the Speaker’s seat, tore copies of the Bill, and threw them at the Speaker in protest.
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Defending their actions, BJP MLA Bharath Shetty argued that instead of addressing the honey trap scandal, the Chief Minister focused on pushing the reservation Bill. He further claimed that government MLAs also engaged in disorderly conduct.
The Congress government justified the reservation as a step toward social justice and economic inclusion for minorities, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah emphasizing its alignment with the government’s commitment to inclusive growth. Under the Bill, Muslim contractors will be entitled to a 4 per cent quota in public contracts.
The uproar in the Assembly coincided with a controversy surrounding a honey trap scandal, which came to light after Cooperative Minister KN Rajanna’s statements. BJP leaders, waving CDs, accused the government of covering up a blackmail and entrapment racket, further fueling the turmoil in the House.
