BJP slams Karnataka allocation of Rs 600 cr for minority colonies
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government’s decision to allocate Rs 600 crore to develop minority colonies has drawn a sharp reaction from the opposition BJP, which has accused it of pursuing appeasement politics and insulting Hindus.
The BJP described the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet’s decision as an extension of its vote bank politics which allegedly bankrupts the state’s coffers.
“The state government has every right to give money for the development of minorities but by continuing the appeasement politics, why are you insulting the Hindus in Karnataka?
“I would like to ask Siddaramaiah-ji whether Hindus have voted for the Congress party or not? Why development money only for minorities?” B. Y. Vijayendra, the Karnataka BJP president said, talking to reporters Friday.
Vijayendra alleged that such appeasement and vote-bank politics insulted the state’s tax payer and went against the principles of justice.
The Rs 600 crore action plan will cover the financial years 2026-27 and 2027-28 under the Minorities Welfare, Hajj and Waqf Department’s budget. The proposal is to develop colonies in backward areas with dominant minority populations, including in slums.
The Siddaramaiah-led government has faced criticism over crumbling infrastructure in Bengaluru and other places after rains exposed fault lines in urban centres.
The government has blamed the Centre for depriving the state of its rightful share of taxes and starving it of funds. But it has come under fire for continuing its guarantee schemes, which cost around Rs 52,000 crore annually. The decision to pump in Rs 600 crore for minority colonies has sharpened opposition attacks.
R. Ashoka, leader of the Opposition, Friday said the Congress-led state government had no money to conduct Bengaluru city corporation elections, pay proper salaries to Anganwadi and ASHA workers, library staff, lecturers or even clear pending bills for the MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act) scheme.
“On one hand, the Karnataka government, which has been sitting pretty while making excuses to the Supreme Court that there’s no money to conduct GBA elections, is now plunging into oily minority politics by doling out Rs 600 crore just to secure its vote bank. This is nothing but a ploy to appease just one community, not what’s truly in the state’s interest,” Ashoka said in a post Friday.
ಒಂದೆಡೆ ಜಿಬಿಎ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ನಡೆಸಲು ದುಡ್ಡಿಲ್ಲ ಅಂತ ಸುಪ್ರೀಂ ಕೋರ್ಟ್ ಗೆ ಕುಂಟು ನೆಪ ಹೇಳಿ ಕೈಚೆಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತಿರುವ @INCKarnataka ಸರ್ಕಾರ, ಈಗ ಮತಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಭದ್ರಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ₹600 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ.ಗಳ ಓಲೈಕೆ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಮುಂದಾಗಿದೆ. ಇದು ಕೇವಲ ಒಂದು ವರ್ಗವನ್ನು ತೃಪ್ತಿಪಡಿಸುವ ಹುನ್ನಾರವೇ ಹೊರತು ನಾಡಿನ ಹಿತವಲ್ಲ.
❌ ಜಿಬಿಎ ಚುನಾವಣೆ… pic.twitter.com/GCWE65knnC
— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) May 1, 2026
“This is a part of the Rs 4,879 crore given to the minorities in the budget. This is not beyond the budget, it is well within the budget,” Rizwan Arshad, Congress MLA from Bengaluru, told News18 Friday. “There is no question of appeasement or to please anybody. It is a budgetary allotment,” he added.
Though the Congress has defended its decision, the move appears to be an attempt to extend an olive branch to its disillusioned Muslim support base.
ThePrint had reported that the Congress party had ordered the removal of Naseer Ahmed, Siddaramaiah’s political secretary and MLC Abdul Jabbar for their alleged role in backing a rebel candidate against their own party nominee.
Several Muslim leaders have since demanded Ahmed and Jabbar’s reinstatement or face the possibility of the community looking for other political avenues and not remaining with the Congress.
The action against Jabbar and Ahmed fuelled the growing divide between the Muslims and the Congress party.
The Muslim community has nursed a feeling of neglect in Karnataka, especially since the Congress continues to overlook its demands to induct more Muslims into the cabinet.
In the run-up to the Davangere South bypolls, held on 9 April, Muslims had demanded that a member of their community be given the opportunity to contest the seat left vacant after the death of Shamnur Shivashankarappa. But the Congress decided to field Samarth, the grandson of Shivashankarappa and son of incumbent Karnataka minister, S. S. Mallikarjun, which deepened its rift with the Muslim community which accounts for around 70,000-80,000 votes in the seat.
The results for Davangere South will be declared on 4 May.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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