New Delhi: The Lok Sabha could not take up any business in the first half of Monday as the House adjourned twice over the BJP’s protest against Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s reported statement about considering change in the Constitution to accommodate religion-based reservation.
Accusing the Congress leadership of indulging in communal politics and trying to undo the constitutional position against religion-based reservation, Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister Kiran Rijiju demanded the sacking of Shivakumar by referring to him as a “Congress leader holding a constitutional post” and asked the Congress leadership whether it stood by BR Ambedkar and Constitution’s opposition to the religion-based reservation.
As soon as the House commenced at 11am, the BJP MPs rose in protest over the issue and the Speaker adjourned the Lok Sabha till noon.
When the House reassembled, Rijiji targeted the Congress and Karnataka deputy CM. The chair adjourned the House till 2pm amid the BJP protest.
Sections of the Opposition feel the Muslim quota in contracts was an avoidable issue as they think it won’t be politically and legally tenable and will play into the BJP hands. “The very basis of reservation is social empowerment, not economic. The government contract is a business and how can there be a Muslim reservation for it. It is an untenable issue and the BJP is feasting on,” said an Opposition MP from the South.
