Bengaluru, Nov 12 (IANS): Karnataka BJP on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over allegedly providing reservations in contracts for Muslims.

“Do you have any sense of integrity or ethics,” said Karnataka Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka, adding, “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, you openly deny that there is any proposal before the government to reserve contracts for Muslims as if striking a blow at the truth. What can we say about your blatant dishonesty.”

He added that Siddaramaiah’s political secretary, Naseer Ahmed, along with Minister for Waqf and Tourism Zameer Ahmed Khan and other Muslim MLAs, sent him a letter on August 24, 2024, requesting a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in contract works.

“On the same day, you instructed the Finance Department to review and submit this proposal. Additionally, you approved an amendment to the KTPP Act regarding this matter. Despite all these letters and approvals, you lie, claiming there’s no proposal for Muslim reservation in contracts before the government. Do you have any sense of integrity or ethics,” he said.

Reports of an alleged proposal to provide reservation in allotment of contracts by the Karnataka government to Muslims has stirred controversy ahead of the bypolls to three Assembly segments. However, the news has been denied by the Chief Minister’s Office.

Reacting to the reports, the CMO clarified on Tuesday that there was no proposal before the government to provide reservations for Muslims in allotment of contracts and termed it as false news.

“It is true that there has been a request for reservations in allotment of contracts, but it has been clarified that there is currently no such proposal before the government,” the CMO stated.

Sources claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has consented to a 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts under Category 2B in constructions of not more than Rs 1 crore.

To facilitate the reservation for Muslims, the state government is preparing to amend the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, sources said.