Defending the BJP government's decision in Karnataka of scrapping the four per cent quota for Muslims Union Home Minister on Tuesday said that his party never believed in ‘religion-based reservation’. The Home Minister's remarks came hours after the Supreme Court directed that the state government's decision of scrapping the quota for Muslims will not be implemented till May 9.
Addressing a public meeting at Terdal, Amit Shah said, "We believe that reservation should not be given on the basis of religion."
Taking a swipe at the Congress which has promised that the quota would be restored if it is voted to power in the state, Amit Shah said, "There was a religion-based reservation of four per cent for Muslims. Without falling for the vote bank politics, the BJP government abolished the Muslim reservation." "Whose reservation will be decreased if four per cent reservation for Muslims is restored? Will it be Vokkaligas or Lingayat, Dalits, Scheduled Tribes or the Other Backward Castes?" the Minister asked.
On April 13, the Karnataka government's decision to scrap four per cent Muslim quota ahead of the assembly polls came under the scanner of the Supreme Court, which questioned the government order and said prima facie it appeared to be on a "highly shaky ground" and "flawed".
