The withdrawal of 4% reservation for the Muslim community by the ruling BJP government in Karnataka is slowly snowballing into a crisis situation in the poll-bound state. As major political parties engage in a war of words over the issue, members of the Muslim community came out in the open on Tuesday, March 28 to protest against the BJP government's decision.
The ruling BJP had withdrawn the reservation of Muslims under the 2B category and sent a proposal to the Union government. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced that the 4% quota for Muslims will be given to Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Chief Minister Bommai maintained that the reservation quota for Muslims will now be part of the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.
Muslim groups and political parties have come to the streets demanding that their quota should remain untouched. Protests have been staged in Belagavi, Chitradurga, and Mandya cities of Karnataka. The Minority Unit of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and Muslim community members had taken out a protest march in Belagavi. The agitators raised slogans against the ruling BJP party. They had also submitted a memorandum to the District Commissioner's office.
Members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) staged a protest on the road in Chitradurga raising slogans against the government. SDPI had built a platform near DC Circle for the protest. As the police denied permission, the protest was staged on the road. Various Muslim organisations and SDPI staged a protest against the withdrawal of reservation. The protest was staged near the Vishveshvaraya statue in Mandya.
Former CM and JD (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy raised a concern that what if the Muslim community takes to the streets like the Banjara community? Who will be responsible for the consequences? "I appreciate the conduct of Muslim community at this hour. The BJP government had taken decisions as per whims and fancies. If Muslim community members had come to streets angered by withdrawal of their 4 per cent reservation, innocent people would have lost their lives," he reiterated.
Kumaraswamy further stated that the national parties should not indulge in creating conflicting situations between castes. “Both parties are indulging in this,” he added.
The protest by Banjara community members over a new reservation decision by the BJP government turned violent in Shikaripura of Shivamogga district. The agitators had pelted stones at former chief minister BS Yediyurappa's residence and even attacked police.