NEW DELHI: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday questioned suggestions that the Karnataka government is considering a four percent reservation for Muslims, saying it is contrary to constitutional provisions.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had recently suggested making changes to the Constitution to facilitate reservations for Muslims in government contracts.
The issue resonated in Lok Sabha on Monday with the ruling BJP questioning the idea and seeking Shivakumar’s removal.
Addressing a group of Rajya Sabha interns here and without naming Karnataka, Dhankhar said “one state” has indicated that it will make reservations for “contracts that are in the domain of business for a particular community, a religious denomination.”
“Now look at the constitutional provisions. Does our Constitution allow any reservations on religious considerations?” Find out what B R Ambedkar has said, and you will be enlightened that there can be no reservations about religious considerations,” the vice president, also chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, said.
Dhankhar said the Constitution provides for a hand-holding mechanism, an affirmative mechanism for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and socially and educationally backward classes.
He said the Constitution was amended, and economic criteria were made a basis, with the courts later upholding it.
