New Delhi, March 24, 2025 – A heated confrontation erupted in Parliament on Monday as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress of pushing for a 4% Muslim reservation in Karnataka, branding it an unconstitutional move rooted in minority appeasement. The Congress swiftly rejected the allegations, calling them a misrepresentation, as the clash over reservation policies took center stage in the Lok Sabha.
The Spark of Controversy
The row began when BJP MP Anurag Thakur, addressing the House, alleged that the Congress-led Karnataka government was planning to introduce a 4% quota for Muslims, which he claimed violated constitutional norms prohibiting religion-based reservations. “This is a dangerous precedent that undermines equality and fairness,” Thakur said, pointing to what he described as a pattern of vote-bank politics by the opposition.
The accusation set off a storm of protests, with BJP MPs rallying behind Thakur’s charge and opposition members countering with vociferous objections. The session descended into chaos, with slogans and interruptions drowning out attempts to restore order, reflecting the deep divide over the issue.
Karnataka at the Core
The contention stems from discussions within Karnataka, where the Congress holds power. While no official policy has been tabled, the BJP claims the proposal is in the works, citing statements from state leaders and drawing parallels to past reservation debates. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s recent remarks condemning religion-based quotas have further fueled the BJP’s stance, amplifying the narrative of constitutional overreach.
Congress leaders in Karnataka, however, dismissed the accusations as premature and misleading. “No such decision has been finalized. This is a deliberate distortion to malign us,” a party spokesperson told NDTV, urging the BJP to focus on governance rather than speculation. The lack of a clear policy document has left room for both sides to trade barbs, with the truth obscured by political rhetoric.
Voices from Parliament
BJP President JP Nadda escalated the debate, warning that such a move would erode the rights of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs). “The Congress is playing a risky game for short-term gains,” he said, framing it as a betrayal of India’s reservation framework. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju echoed this, contrasting the BJP’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” ethos with what he called Congress’s selective favoritism.
On the other side, Congress MPs defended their position, accusing the BJP of stoking communal tensions. “This is a fabricated controversy to polarize voters. We stand for inclusive development, not division,” said a senior Congress leader, pointing to the party’s denial of any concrete plan. The opposition also questioned the BJP’s timing, suggesting it was a diversion from pressing national issues.
A Broader Context
The debate taps into a long-standing tension over reservation policies in India. The Constitution reserves quotas for socially and educationally backward classes, but religion-based allocations remain a legal gray area, often sparking litigation and public outcry. Karnataka’s existing 4% Muslim OBC sub-quota, introduced decades ago, has faced scrutiny before, with the BJP arguing it dilutes benefits for other backward groups.
Public reaction, gleaned from X posts, is split—some see the BJP’s stand as a defense of fairness, while others view it as an attack on minority rights. Analysts note that with Karnataka’s political landscape heating up ahead of local elections, both parties are leveraging the issue for leverage.
