Private Job Reservation Karnataka: Has the Karnataka government done a big damage by talking about 100% reservation? Know BJP’s plan

New Delhi: The political temperature of the state is high on the issue of giving 100 percent reservation to local (Kannada) people in Group C and D jobs of private companies in Karnataka. The Congress government in Karnataka is in trouble. From corruption allegations to backtracking on the domicile quota bill, the Congress is surrounded on many fronts. The BJP is getting the benefit of this, which is now cornering the Congress on many issues. As soon as the monsoon session began on Monday, the BJP and the JDS intensified their efforts to corner the government in both the houses of the legislature. The opposition parties got another issue on Wednesday when the industry reacted strongly to the decision of the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet to approve the bill planning reservation for local candidates in 75% of non-management and 50% of jobs in the management sector in all establishments.

‘The central government is trying to topple the Karnataka government’

On Thursday, BJP leaders, including party state president B Y Vijayendra, were detained when they tried to gherao the Assembly over the alleged scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited and demand the resignation of the chief minister. State revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda alleged that the Centre was trying to topple the Karnataka government as it had tried in Jharkhand, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal. The alleged scams also rocked the Karnataka Assembly, where Siddaramaiah on Thursday hit out at the opposition and said there was not a single “black spot” in his/her career. “I am not afraid of their allegations,” he/she said. The current political atmosphere in the state is a matter of concern for the Congress. The party is already playing with fire on several fronts and the latest controversies have added to its woes. It remains to be seen how the Congress deals with these allegations and improves its image.

Congress and BJP face to face in the assembly

There was a heated debate between BJP and Congress in the Karnataka Assembly. BJP targeted the government over the domicile quota bill and called it a ‘Tughlaq government’. CM Siddaramaiah responded that the bill would be discussed in the next cabinet meeting. The corruption allegations are a challenge for the Congress as Siddaramaiah has an image of an honest leader. The problem is that one allegation is on his/her wife and the other is related to the misuse of funds for the Scheduled Tribes. In 2016, while being the CM, Siddaramaiah was embroiled in controversy over his/her expensive Hublot watch. A Congress leader admitted, ‘We have to accept that there are serious allegations of corruption against the government and Siddaramaiah.’ he/she said, ‘We have to change things before the public gets the impression that the government is corrupt. The relief is that there are no assembly elections right now, so we have time.’

BJP is cornering Congress on the issue of corruption

The BJP government in Karnataka lost due to corruption allegations. Congress had accused BJP of 40% commission, due to which BJP had to suffer in the elections. Congress leader B.S. Shivanna says that the corruption allegations against CM Siddaramaiah will not affect him/her. Shivanna believes that these allegations are motivated by political malice and Siddaramaiah will be proved clean. Santosh Patil, a close aide and contractor of former Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa, had accused Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra of demanding bribe. Patil had alleged that he/she was asked for a bribe of Rs 1 crore to get the contract. This case is of 2022, when the BJP government was in power. In this case, the then minister K.S. Eshwarappa had to resign. Although the BJP government tried to suppress the matter, the Congress made it an issue and attacked the BJP fiercely. The allegations of Congress had an impact on the public and it ousted the BJP from power.

BJP claims more scams will be exposed

Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra said that ‘Siddaramaiah’s family’s involvement in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority scam (MUDA scam) has shocked even him/her. he/she claimed that more cases will come to light in the coming months. It is true that there have been no corruption charges in Siddaramaiah’s political career, but this time it is different.’ Vijayendra said, ‘Congress and Siddaramaiah are in trouble. People are watching and the impact is going to be beyond the party’s imagination.’ We suspect that ST funds were used for election campaigns and in the next two-three months you will see many corruption cases involving the current government.’ Vijayendra further said that there may not have been any corruption charges during Siddaramaiah’s tenure, but this time the matter is different. he/she said that the public is watching everything and the Congress will have to bear the brunt of it. Vijayendra also alleged that funds allocated for scheduled tribes were misused for election campaigns. he/she said that many more corruption cases will come to light in the coming time.

BJP attacks Siddaramaiah’s wife

In Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is accused of irregularities in the 50:50 incentive scheme of MUDA i.e. Mysuru Urban Development Authority. BJP says that MUDA has wrongly given land to Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvati. Parvati has got 14 prime plots in the city in exchange for 3.16 acres of land outside Mysuru. This land was gifted to her in 2010. Siddaramaiah says that the land has been given within the ambit of law. But the opposition is continuously attacking him/her. The Chief Minister has said that if MUDA wants, it can take back the land, but compensation will have to be paid for this. On Sunday, the government constituted a one-member judicial commission headed by Justice (Retd.) P N Desai to investigate the matter. BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa has called this investigation a ‘sham’. he/she has demanded a CBI investigation into the matter. Irregularities have been found in Siddaramaiah’s election affidavits. his/her affidavits of 2013, 2018 and 2023 give different information about the 3.16 acres of land. Questions are being raised due to the difference in land records and affidavits.

BJP raised these issues in the monsoon session

The BJP raised the issue of misappropriation of funds from the Valmiki Corporation, set up for the welfare of scheduled tribes, on the first day of the monsoon session. Several agencies like the CBI and the ED have registered cases. Siddaramaiah has admitted in the assembly that there has been a scam of Rs 89.6 crore, not Rs 187 crore as alleged by the BJP. Tribal welfare minister B Nagendra, who resigned after the allegations were made, is now in ED custody. The entire case came to light when an official of the corporation, P Chandrasekharan, who was involved in auditing and coordination with the Union Bank of India, committed suicide on May 26. In his/her six-page suicide note, he/she named several officials and alleged systematic corruption.

Fierce battle between BJP and Congress

The round of allegations and counter-allegations of corruption between Congress and BJP continues in Karnataka. Congress has accused BJP of the Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal (DUTT) scam. The scam allegedly took place when the BJP was in power. Last week, the state CID arrested former DUTT chairperson and former BJP MLC D S Veeraiah. Veeraiah is accused of embezzling Rs 47.1 crore between 2021 and 2023. Congress has raised the issue of DUTT scam, accusing BJP of being steeped in corruption. Congress says the scam took place when the BJP was in power. The CID has arrested a former BJP MLC in this case, who has also been the chairperson of DUTT. he/she is accused of embezzling Rs 47.1 crore.