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| India-Pakistan |
| Why Karnataka is in thick of Muslim quota row |
| 2024-04-28 |
| [TimesOfIndia] PM Modi, addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk-Sawai Madhopur Lok Sabha constituency, accused the Congress of attempting to diminish the quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs and of advocating reservation for Muslims contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. He cited Congress’ endeavour to introduce a 5% quota for Muslims in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as a “pilot project” for nationwide implementation. Modi criticized the inclusion of Muslims in the OBC list in Karnataka by Congress, labelling it as a reservation along religious lines. MUSLIM POPULATION IN KARNATAKA As per data from the National Commission for Backward Classes, Karnataka has a Muslim population of 12.9%. Out of the 32% reservation for OBCs, a subcategory comprising 4% was reserved for Muslims in the state. COMMISSIONS THAT BROUGHT MUSLIMS UNDER OBC CATEGORY In 1975, the then state Backward Classes Commission chairman LG Havanur presented a report to the govt of D Devaraj Urs, a prominent advocate of backward classes’ interests. This report recognized Muslims as eligible for reservation, leading to their categorization under backward communities alongside other groups like scheduled castes and tribes. In March 1977, a directive was issued granting reservation to backward classes, including Muslims. Later, commissions chaired by Venkata Swamy and Justice O Chinnappa Reddy further affirmed Muslims’ status as a backward class. The classification evolved over time, with subsequent commissions like the one led by Prof Ravivarma Kumar, refining the structure. Currently, 36 Muslim communities listed in Categories 1 and 2A are included in the central OBC list, subject to non-inclusion in the ‘creamy layer’ based on an annual income threshold of Rs 8 lakh. BJP’ S UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO REMOVE RESERVATION Before the Karnataka assembly polls last year, the then CM Basavaraj Bommai proposed on March 27, 2023, to eliminate categories 3A and 3B for OBCs. Instead, he suggested new categories 2C and 2D, with a 2% reservation each for Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities. The administration also aimed to remove the 2B category for Muslims and include them in the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS). However, this sparked opposition and legal challenges, resulting in the shelving of the proposal. On April 13, 2023, the Supreme Court deemed the govt’s decision to scrap the 4% OBC quota for Muslims as “prima facie shaky and flawed”. Consequently, the Bommai govt halted new appointments or admissions based on the contentious order. The court has suspended the govt decision, maintaining the existing reservation. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |