K'taka BJP has not done injustice to Muslims: Yediyurappa

Bengaluru, March 30 (IANS) Former Chief Minister and BJP Central Parliamentary Board Member B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday claimed that his party has not done any injustice to Muslims of the state while fixing reservation quotas for communities.

Addressing reporters, Yediyurappa said that by shifting the 4 per cent reservation, there is no harm done to Muslim community. "Muslims have been brought under the EWS quota. There should not be any misunderstanding," he said.

Yediyurappa further maintained that as it was not possible to provide reservation on the basis of religion, they are brought under EWS quota. The central government is implementing pro-poor and pro-farmer schemes. If there are any differences they will be convinced, he added.

The ruling BJP in Karnataka has announced new reservation quotas after the last cabinet meeting recently. They had increased the quotas of Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, the influential communities of the state by 2 per cent, by withdrawing the 4 per cent of quota of Muslims under OBC category.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced reservation of 7 per cent to Linagayats, 6 per cent to Vokkaligas, 6 per cent for SC (left), 5.5 per cent for SC (right), 1 per cent for Bhovi, Banjara and others.

The announcement had resulted in incidents of violence and protests across the state. The BJP has dubbed it a "conspiracy and provocation" of the Congress.

The State Congress unit had stated that it would scrap the new reservation quotas as soon as it assumed power. "It will be scrapped in a matter of 40 days, as we are forming the government," Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had declared.

Chief Minister Bommai stated, "The religious minorities do not have reservation in seven states. The decision has been taken to allot reservation for Muslim under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota."

He also maintained that the demand for a hike in the reservation had been pending for the last 30 years but the Congress Party did not do anything but make false promises. They had thought it would not be possible for the BJP to do it. "We showed our commitment by getting a report, got the study done, constituted a Cabinet sub-committee, and took a bold decision as per law".