The Congress on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of distorting statements made by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar regarding Muslim reservation and warned of legal action over alleged misinformation.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing the media over the controversy, said, “JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju have lied to Parliament, and we are preparing to take action against them. They claimed that Congress was providing reservation on the basis of religion, which is completely false. BJP is the one making laws based on religion. We have never provided reservation to anyone based on religion. Our leaders, Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru, never touched upon this issue in the Constituent Assembly, but the BJP is raising this issue to hide its corruption”, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Shivakumar, who faced BJP’s sharp attacks over his purported remarks on altering the Constitution to accommodate a four per cent reservation for Muslims, categorically denied making such statements and claimed he was misquoted. He also warned of moving a breach of privilege motion.
“I am a sensible senior politician… I have been in the Assembly for the past 36 years. I have basic common sense. I have never said that (regarding changing the Constitution),” he told reporters. “I casually said that there will be so many changes after various judgments. Whatever reservation has been given is as per the quota for the backward classes. I have never said that we will change the Constitution and all that,” he added.
Shivakumar accused the BJP of deliberately misquoting him. “Whatever they are quoting is wrong. They are misquoting me. I am categorically saying this. I will take the breach of privilege on this. I will fight this case. They are misquoting me,” the Karnataka Congress chief asserted.
BJP Forces Lok Sabha Adjournments, Alleges Shivakumar Exposed Congress’s “Hidden Agenda”
His remarks came as the BJP forced repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha over the issue. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised Shivakumar, stating, “The remarks by a person sitting on a Constitutional post to change the Constitution to facilitate four per cent reservation for Muslims is unacceptable. How can the House watch in silence? Congress should clarify … the person should be sacked. You claim to give reservations to Muslims and resort to theatrics of carrying a photograph of Babasaheb Ambedkar and a copy of the Constitution in your pocket.”
The BJP also alleged that Shivakumar’s comments exposed the Congress’ “hidden agenda” of amending the Constitution to grant religion-based reservation. Former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, said, “Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution.”
Referring to Shivakumar’s purported statement at a media event on Sunday, Prasad said, “Truth has the very uncanny habit of appearing and reappearing. It’s Congress’ hidden agenda that it will change the Constitution for votes.” He further demanded, “Mr Rahul Gandhi, will you speak up? Will you make a comment on the comments made by your Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar? Will you clarify that the Congress will not change the Constitution for appeasement (of Muslims)?”
Amid the political storm, Shivakumar took to social media platform X, reiterating that he never stated the Constitution would be amended to provide religion-based reservation. He accused BJP leaders, both in Karnataka and at the Centre, of indulging in “brazen and blatant lies” to malign the Congress and him by falsely attributing statements.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of the BJP’s continued attack on the Congress over its stand on minority reservations. The issue is likely to remain a flashpoint between the two parties in the coming days.