In the policy decision, state govt of Karnataka has approved the 4% reservation of Muslim contractors in public procurement under the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act. The decision is made by the government to promote the involvement of minority community in the state economic activities.
Karnataka government states that this step aligns the social justice and economic empowerment. One of the officials, highlights that the quota will ensure equal opportunities for Muslim entrepreneurs to take part in the state’s development projects such as the building of Roads, bridges, schools and more.
On the other hand, the major opposition party Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised concerns that this will divide the society in religion. This is a religious-based reservation. The party strongly opposed the decision, calling it an “appeasement policy“.
While supporters hail this as a progressive step, the issue is expected to spark further political and legal debates.