Congress vs. BJP: Heated Debate Over Religious Reservation and Corruption Allegations

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge criticizes BJP for allegedly making laws based on religion, alluding to corruption cover-ups amid Karnataka's existing reservation practices. Jairam Ramesh files a privilege notice against Kiren Rijiju for 'misleading' remarks. DK Shivakumar defends his statements, accusing BJP of twisting narratives.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday leveled accusations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the ruling party is crafting laws centered on religious grounds. He highlighted that the Karnataka government's provision for minority reservations in public contracts is a practice rooted in the state's policies since 1994, and accused the BJP-led administration of concealing corruption incidents.

Kharge, in his comments to ANI, argued that the BJP's efforts to change the reservation framework are unfounded and serve as a distraction from its alleged corruption cases. He emphasized the longstanding acceptance of these reservations by Congress and other parties in Karnataka. Furthermore, he contended that the BJP's dissatisfaction stems from the successful implementation of Congress's popular free guarantees reaching households statewide.

In a related development, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh lodged a breach of privilege notice against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, charging him with 'misleading' allegations in the Rajya Sabha against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Ramesh insists that Rijiju's attributions of Shivakumar's statements were false. Meanwhile, Shivakumar, addressing the controversy, maintained that the BJP is twisting his words, defending his stance amidst legal consultations.

(With inputs from agencies.)