NEW DELHI, March 24: Union Minister of Parliament Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Monday strongly criticized the Congress Party regarding the issue of Muslim reservation in Karnataka, stating that while reservation can be based on economic and social criteria, it cannot be granted on the basis of religious identity.

His comments followed remarks made by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday, who stated that the Congress would “amend the Constitution” to provide reservation to Muslims and other backward classes in Karnataka.

Rijiju referred to the rejection of religion-based reservation in 1947 during the Constituent Assembly debates, when leaders like Sardar Patel opposed such a provision, emphasizing that India’s Constitution is secular. “This issue was squarely rejected in 1947 when the Muslim League raised it in the Constituent Assembly,” Rijiju said, adding that this decision upheld secular values, which are foundational to India’s democracy.

He also demanded clarification from the Congress Party’s leadership on the matter, questioning whether they would take action against those holding constitutional posts within the party who support such changes. “Congress Party president must clarify their position in the House. They must decide whether they are going to uphold the Constitution or destroy it,” Rijiju asserted, emphasizing the gravity of the issue.

The Karnataka State Cabinet had previously approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which seeks to allocate a four percent reservation in public tenders to minority contractors, a move that has sparked controversy over its potential implications on the Constitution’s secular nature. Rijiju concluded by stating that any proposal to amend the Constitution for religion-based reservation “cannot be tolerated.”