The Karnataka cabinet has approved a proposal to raise the reservation for Muslims in all housing schemes under the Urban and Rural Development Departments, increasing the existing quota for minority communities from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan backed the move, while Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar justified it, citing urban demographics. “We have to go by the population. There’s a huge urban population with a large number of minorities and poor,” he said.

Shivakumar pointed to vacant housing blocks across districts like Mandya to support the decision. “Try Mandya—left side—there are 7 to 9 towers where nobody has shifted homes. At least minorities are ready to take over those buildings,” he explained, noting that minorities have pushed for the increase for years. “For the last 7 years, they have suggested this, and we agreed.”

The minister also highlighted housing lying unused in Bengaluru. “We built houses but nobody has stayed in them. It’s a big issue,” he said.

Backing the decision, Minister MC Sudhakar said the central government already offers 15 per cent allocation for minorities in housing schemes, and Karnataka is following suit. “It’s the minority house allocation. Central government has 15 per cent and we have raised it to 15 per cent,” he said.

Law Minister HK Patil echoed the government’s commitment to “Housing for All” and said the move was rooted in ground realities. “Most of the houseless are minorities and downtrodden communities. The government is adamant that all houseless persons, irrespective of community, should be given housing,” he said.

The BJP came out strongly against the proposal, calling it religion-based and unconstitutional. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accused the Congress-led government of violating Supreme Court rulings and indulging in appeasement.

“The Supreme Court has already stated religion-based reservation is unlawful. But the Karnataka government has now accorded 15 per cent reservation to Muslims,” Joshi said. He claimed the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, was enforcing what was “on paper 4 per cent” as “actually 15 per cent.”

He argued the move encroached upon the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs. “They are taking away the rights of the deserving and distributing them on the basis of appeasement,” he said, adding that the BJP would consult on legal options.

BJP state president BY Vijayendra slammed the move on X, calling it “communal vote-bank politics through institutionalisation.” He cited the 4 per cent quota in contracts and 15 per cent in housing as examples. “This deprives SCs, STs, and OBCs of their deserving opportunities,” he said.

Vijayendra accused the Congress of distorting Ambedkar’s vision. “In the name of welfare, the government is attacking the roots of the Constitution. Karnataka needs to be governed, not experimented upon,” he said.

BJP MLC CT Ravi also weighed in, saying, “Ambedkar had opposed religion-based reservations. But here in Karnataka, the Congress is bringing that into housing schemes too.”

The housing quota decision comes soon after the Karnataka government proposed 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public tenders, signalling a broader shift in welfare policy.

The Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sought to provide a 4 per cent quota for Muslims in government contracts worth less than Rs 2 crore. The bill was passed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on March 21 after stiff resistance from BJP legislators.

The Governor had initially returned the bill twice but confirmed on May 22 that he had forwarded it to the President for consideration under Article 200.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also flagged this earlier, accusing the Karnataka government of handing out tender reservations on religious grounds. “They are taking away the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs,” he said.