Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's claim that Congress would change the Constitution to accord reservation for Muslims was a matter that could not be tolerated.
Published Mar 24, 2025 | 1:57 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 24, 2025 | 4:22 PM
BJP MPs protest in Rajya Sabha.
Synopsis: BJP MPs protested in the Parliament against the alleged statement of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar that the Congress would amend the Constitution to provide a four percent reservation to Muslims in public contracts. However, Shivakumar denied the allegations by the BJP.
BJP MPs on Monday, 24 March, protested in the Parliament against the alleged statement of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar that the Congress would amend the Constitution to provide a four percent reservation to Muslims in public contracts, terming it an ‘assault on the Constitution”.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that Shivakumar’s claim was a matter that could not be tolerated. Rijiju further said that it was an assault on the Constitution.
However, Shivakumar accused the Union minister of lying and said that he was not present at the state Assembly when the bill was passed and added that he had not made any statements regarding Constitutional amendments.
He further said that the bill provides reservations for all minority communities and backward classes not just Muslims adding that he would be taking legal action against the Rijiju and BJP.
Both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned after BJP MPs protested against the alleged statement by Shivakumar.
Meanwhile, Congress Chief Whip in the Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh, has submitted a notice of question of privilege against Kiren Rijiju for “blatantly misleading the House” with his statements against Shivakumar.
“…shortly after the House met, Shri Kiren Rijiju blatantly misled the House by attributing certain false statements purportedly made by Shri D.K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka,” Ramesh wrote in his letter of notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
“Shri D.K. Shivakumar has since refuted the statements attributed to him, calling them false and derogatory in nature. Hence, the remarks made by Shri Kiren Rijiju are false and misleading, and constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House.”
Congress Chief Whip in Rajya Sabha and AICC General Secretary-Communication Shri @Jairam_Ramesh submits a notice of question of privilege to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar against Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, for having blatantly misled… pic.twitter.com/m3jTXpUlTJ
— Congress (@INCIndia) March 24, 2025
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju demanded Congress to clear its position on reservation. He accused the grand old party of creating drama with Ambedkar’s photo.
“One of the senior members of the Congress party (Shivakumar), who is holding a constitution post has made a statement that they’re going to change the constitution of India…he has stated that Congress party will provide reservation to the Muslim community and for that they (Congress) will change the Constitution of India. This statement cannot be taken lightly.”
Replying to Rijiju, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said nobody could change the Constitution drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar. “Nobody can finish the reservation. To protect it, we did the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” and added that the ruling NDA was trying to break India.
However, objecting to Kharge, Rijiju claimed that the Congress “sullied the prestige of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution” by supporting Muslim reservations and demanded the resignation of Shivakumar.
Speaking to media in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “I have never said anywhere that we will change the Constitution. The BJP is just spreading misinformation by distorting my statement. I will take legal action against this. ”
When asked about the BJP accusing him on X and in Parliament for saying in an interview that he would amend the Constitution to provide reservation to Muslims, he said, “I never said that. BJP people have twisted my statement.”
“I have been in the assembly as an MLA for the last 36 years. I also have common sense. I am a politician with better sensitivity than JP Nadda on such issues. But the BJP is misleading the common people. We are a national party. They are making false statements and dragging my name. I have not made any statement on this anywhere.”
He explained, “I have said that there are instances of amendments being made as per the court verdicts, but I have never said anywhere that we will change the Constitution. I will fight the legal battle against the distortion of my statement.”
He further claimed that Congress was a national party and they were the ones to implement the Constitution. “We know the importance of the Constitution better than anyone else. The Union government has failed in its budget. The BJP is proposing such a non-existent issue because there is nothing in the budget. This is a political conspiracy against me and the Congress party, ” he added.
A frustrated BJP, its State and Central leadership & its Union Minister, @KirenRijiju are resorting to brazen and blatant lies to malign the Congress Party and me by falsely attributing statements to me.
BJP & its lying Ministers should know -:
1. I was not present in the… pic.twitter.com/o5eHgP9xZC— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) March 24, 2025
Meanwhile, Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor slammed the Union government after both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned minutes after beginning the session on Monday.
“It is utterly shocking when you see that the ruling party, essentially the government, whose responsibility it is to run the House, has chosen to disrupt the Parliament in this way,” Tharoor said.
“To my mind, the issue they have raised is also irrelevant because it is a State subject. It has nothing to do with the Central Parliament. Why are they trying to disrupt the House on the basis of that? Honestly, we are reducing the Parliament to a farce. If we don’t function properly, why will the voters want to entrust their precious tax money to run this institution which we used to hail as the temple of democracy… If instead of prayers here, we are having shouting matches, it’s really a big disappointment,” he added.
BJP MPs were protesting in both Houses of the Parliament, shouting slogans and raising placards, against Shivakumar.
On 21 March, the Karnataka legislative assembly passed the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Amendment Bill, which introduces a four percent reservation in public contracts for contractors from the Backward Classes Muslim communities classified under Category 2B of the Karnataka reservation list.
Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, who tabled the bill, said it is intended to address unemployment among backward classes and encourage their participation in public works.
As per the amendment, four percent of civil contracts up to ₹2 crore and contracts for goods and services up to ₹1 crore will be reserved for Backward Classes Muslim contractors from Category 2B.
The proposal was first announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the state budget presentation on 7 March. The state government stressed that the measure will not result in any additional expenditure for the exchequer.
Earlier, BJP MP Anurag Thakur had claimed that the move by the Congress was to gain Muslim votes.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Rashmi Patil)
