Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 22 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday criticized Karnataka's decision to amend the KTPP Act to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders for minority contractors, stating that Babasaheb Ambedkar was always against religious-based reservation and Congress will pay for the 'cheap trick' it has pulled to garner 'Muslim votes'.

Speaking to ANI, Keshav Prasad Maurya said, 'Congress has always been against the backward classes... Babasaheb Ambedkar was strongly against giving reservations on a religious basis. Congress will pay for the cheap trick it pulled to garner the Muslim vote bank in Karnataka...'

Maurya further hit out at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for his silence on the 4 per cent reservation.

'Akhilesh Yadav should first explain his silence on the 4% reservation. The law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is a million times better than Samajwadi Party's tenure. The Samajwadi Party is not worthy of power. It is not even performing its responsibility of being an opposition properly,' the Deputy CM said.

Earlier today, BJP MP Anurag Thakur criticized Karnataka's decision to amend the KTPP Act to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders for minority contractors, claiming it is a move to gain Muslim votes.

Speaking to ANI, Thakur said, 'Congress believes in the politics of appeasement, Divide and Rule. At the direction of Rahul Gandhi, the play staged by Karnataka Congress leaders clearly shows that to gain Muslim votes, a 4 per cent reservation is being given in government contracts.'

He claimed that the Karnataka government's decision to provide 4 per cent reservation to minority contractors is against the law and added that they will have to face consequences.

'This is against the law, and they would also have to face the consequences. Congress has not learnt anything even after so many defeats,' Thakur said.

The Karnataka state cabinet approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act, which aims to provide 4 per cent reservation in tenders to Minority contractors.

The decision was taken on March 14 in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Cabinet Hall of the Vidhan Sabha. Official sources added that the amendment will be made after the KTPP act is tabled in the ongoing assembly session.

However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has clarified that the state government's decision to provide a four per cent reservation in government contracts is not exclusive to Muslims but extends to 'all minority communities and backward classes.'

Earlier, State Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that all five to six minority communities will come under this reservation.

'BJP always does nonsense things. There is a reservation for SC/ST. Now, we have given reservations to minorities. There are five to six minority communities. All will come under this reservation, not just one community,' Ramalinga Reddy said addressing the media. (ANI)