Defending the decision to introduce a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday hit out at the BJP for opposing it and asserted that the Congress government thinks about all citizens. He said let the BJP make people from Christian and Muslim communities MLCs or Rajya Sabha members or ministers in the union cabinet.

Shivakumar was reacting to state BJP president B Y Vijayendra’s post on ‘X’, accusing the government of Muslim appeasement, while criticising the decision on reservation for Muslims in public contracts.

Reacting to this, Shivakumar said, whether it is Muslims or Christians or Sikhs or Buddhists, all are citizens of the country and Karnataka state. “We think about all minorities and backward classes. He (Vijayendra) is speaking about equality. Let him or his party make persons (from minority) as MLC, or Rajya Sabha member, or ministers in the central government,” he said.

Speaking to reporters here, the Deputy CM said, let the BJP give such positions to a couple of Christians or three Muslims, then Vijayendra will have the right to speak about equality in share and livelihood for all. “Let him read the state anthem written by Kuvempu properly, as to who all will form a garden of peace. He has now become the president of the BJP, let him be at his level,” he added.