Karnataka State Budget: 4% reservations announced for Muslims in govt tenders, BJP calls it 'Halal Budget'

Karnataka Chief Minster Siddaramaiah on Friday announced a 4% reservation for Muslims in government tenders and contracts while presenting the state budget for 2025.

The move is aimed to promote economic inclusion and enquire and to ensure quittable business opportunities for minorities.

The total expenditure for the 2025-26 budget is estimated to be Rs 4,09,549 crore. It includes revenue expenditure of Rs 3,11,739 crore, capital expenditure of Rs 71,336 crore and loan repayment of Rs 26,474 crore.

However, BJP slammed the move and alleged that the ruling Congress was indulging in minority appeasement politics.

Taking to X, the BJP wrote, "Karnataka presents a Halal Budget—appeasement at its peak!" The party highlighted provisions specifically benefiting the Muslim community and questioned the lack of similar allocations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Scam CM @siddaramaiah in Karnataka presents a Halal Budgetappeasement at its peak! Reservation for Muslims in government contracts 50,000 assistance for Muslim simple marriages 150 crore for infrastructure development of Waqf properties & graveyards 50 lakh pic.twitter.com/Ts3ZrnYai1

BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 7, 2025

"What about SCs, STs, and OBCs? Absolutely nothing!" the BJP posted, accusing the Congress government of sidelining other communities while focusing only on minority welfare.

According to the draft legislation, which was accessed by CNN-News18, it will allow an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act to insert Category II(B) allowing reservation for Muslims.

The draft legislation states: “For the words, figures and brackets “Category-I and Category II(A) " the words, figures, brackets and punctuation “Category-l, Category-II(A) and Category II(B)" shall be substituted."

“Category II(B) shall mean the backward classes specified as Category-II(B) in the orders issued by the state government from time to time without considering the income criteria," it states.

Meanwhile, the SC/ST contractors enjoy a 24.1% reservation in government contracts and the government later extended the benefit to communities coming under Category 1. The government also increased the cap on the size of the contracts from Rs 50 lakh earlier to Rs 1 crore.

BJP state president BY Vijayendra urged the government to drop the move forthwith warning that such a roster system would divide the society based on religion. The BJP, he said, would not come in the way of any welfare measure that targets all minority communities, but this one singles out Muslims which is nothing but the politics of appeasement.

The Congress responded to the allegations claiming that for the BJP, only reservation for Muslims amounts to appeasement. Defending the move, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said: “What’s wrong in reservation for minorities that are socially disempowered like Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists? Reservation is there for SCs and STs and OBCs, isn’t that appeasement? For the BJP, if there is reservation for Muslims, it is considered appeasement."