[ad_1]
3 min readBengaluruMay 18, 2026 09:39 AM IST
The Karnataka Federation of Muslim Organisations Saturday released a report on issues including reservation, political representation, and the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state, while also questioning the Congress over its poll promises to the community during the last elections.
The recent convention assumes significance in light of the bypolls results in Davanagere South, where, despite the Congress win, its margin of victory had dropped from 27,900 to 5,700.
The dissatisfaction amongst the Muslim voters, who are a third of the electorate in Davanagere South, was also apparent in a rebellion amongst Muslim Congress leaders, culminating in the suspension of MLC Abdul Jabbar and the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political secretary and thus cabinet rank.
The report, addressed to the CM, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, and Assembly, said that after the support extended by the community to the Congress in 2023, “There have been improvements in education and welfare, but major concerns like reservation, dignity, livelihood, religious freedom, protection from hate, and political representation are still unresolved or only partly addressed.”
The Federation also put forward a three-tier charter of demands seeking a formal withdrawal of the order barring hijabs for women students, protection of Waqf properties, and the restoration of the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims under Category 2B, which was scrapped by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 2023.
It sought action against groups spreading “hatred and communal division”, noting, “FIRs alone have not created deterrence, as many repeat offenders continue to operate publicly without meaningful consequences.”
The report also demanded the withdrawal of The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, citing the hardships caused to farmers, butchers, leatherworkers, and Muslim meat traders. It also noted that a Cabinet decision had been taken to withdraw the anti-conversion law, but the Bill had not subsequently been tabled.
Story continues below this ad
Political representation of Muslims within the Congress government was also amongst the various issues raised by the Federation, which said it was disproportionately low in the Karnataka Assembly. It pointed out that there were currently four MLCs from the community, which, given the state’s Muslim population, should be 9 or 10.
The Federation also expressed serious concerns about the upcoming SIR exercise in Karnataka, citing the deletion of names from electoral rolls in Bihar and West Bengal. It called on the Karnataka Government to oppose the SIR exercise and suggested several measures, including ensuring that roll revisions were carried out in a democratic and transparent manner.
It also suggested that a circular be issued to warn people against engaging in “malpractice,” such as the “misuse” of Form 7 applications to delete voters.
Civil society groups in Bengaluru have previously come together against the Special Intensive Revision, as reported by The Indian Express.
Story continues below this ad
Other tiers of suggestions, such as allocating Rs 10,000 crore for minority welfare and strengthening the State Minorities Commission, were sought to be achieved by the end of the fiscal year or by May 2028, respectively.
[ad_2]
Source link