Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has found himself at the center of a major political storm after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused him of making controversial remarks about changing the Indian Constitution. The comments, which Shivakumar has denied, triggered strong protests across Parliament on Monday, leading to adjournments in both Houses.
Key Highlights:
Union Minister Giriraj Singh went on record demanding Shivakumar’s resignation and accused the Congress government in Karnataka of pushing the country towards “Islamization” through its decision to provide a 4% reservation to Muslims in public contracts.
BJP Slams Congress Over Remarks and Policy
Speaking to ANI, Giriraj Singh claimed,
“Rahul Gandhi should apologize to the country, and DK Shivakumar should be sacked. This is an attempt to Islamize the country.”
The BJP also organized nationwide protests and raised the issue aggressively in Parliament, with Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and JP Nadda joining the chorus demanding Shivakumar’s removal. Rijiju stated,
“The Constitution is secular and only allows reservations based on economic and social criteria—not religious identity.”
Rijiju cited the historical rejection of Muslim reservation by the Constituent Assembly in 1947 and accused Shivakumar of undermining the Constitution’s foundations.
Shivakumar Denies, Congress Defends
Responding to the uproar, Shivakumar clarified,
“I never said we would change the Constitution. My comments were twisted. I only referred to past instances where constitutional amendments followed court rulings.”
He added that the Congress, the party that originally introduced the Constitution, understands its value and respects its sanctity.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh defended Shivakumar, calling the BJP’s campaign a “diversionary tactic.”
“This reservation policy was originally introduced in 1994 based on socio-economic data. The BJP is misleading people with twisted narratives,” he said.
Ramesh also stated that the Karnataka policy aligns with existing OBC frameworks and is not religion-based.
Legal Action and Clarifications Ahead
Shivakumar is consulting legal experts and considering filing a privilege motion against the BJP for misrepresenting his statement.
“The BJP has no issues to raise ahead of the elections, so they are using this as a political distraction,” Shivakumar said.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju demanded that Congress clarify its position on religion-based reservations.
“If Congress supports secularism, then take immediate action against Shivakumar,” he challenged.
Political Fallout in Parliament
The controversy caused immediate disruption in Parliament on Monday. Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha proceedings were both adjourned multiple times as BJP leaders pressed the Congress for a response.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated the party’s stand:
“No one can change the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. The Bharat Jodo Yatra was launched to protect it.”
As the debate over DK Shivakumar’s alleged remarks and Karnataka’s reservation policy continues, the issue has escalated into a significant political flashpoint ahead of the upcoming elections. While the BJP is intensifying its demand for action, the Congress is standing by its deputy CM, calling the accusations baseless and politically motivated.
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