Bengaluru, Mar 21 (Reporter) Karnataka BJP Chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa on Friday criticised the Congress-led state government, asserting that 'the Chief Minister is not just the leader of Muslims but of the entire state.' He slammed the decision to grant a 4% reservation to Muslim contractors in government tenders, calling it an act of "blatant appeasement politics." "The Chief Minister has repeatedly stated that 4% reservation in government tenders will be given to Muslims. The question is, why only Muslims? Why has the Chief Minister, who came to power with the support of all communities, forgotten the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and neglected the injustice faced by Hindus in Karnataka?" Vijayendra questioned while addressing media. The BJP Karnataka Chief further alleged that financial assistance for Muslim students studying abroad had been increased from ₹20 lakh to ₹30 lakh, while funds had been allocated for the self-defence training of Muslim women. "Hindu women are the ones most affected by Love Jihad in Karnataka and across the country. So why is money being reserved specifically for the self-defence of Muslim women? Has the Chief Minister forgotten that he is the Chief Minister of Karnataka, not just for Muslims?" he asked. Vijayendra demanded that financial support be extended to every section of society and accused the state government of neglecting the welfare of the majority community. He also announced that the BJP would stage statewide protests against what he termed a "corrupt, minority-appeasement-driven government." Meanwhile, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad defended the 4% reservation for Muslims under Category 2B in small tenders, accusing the BJP of disrupting legislative proceedings. "The BJP has been avoiding a debate on the 4% quota for an entire week. Today, on the last day of the session, they have created a ruckus to disrupt proceedings. Their behaviour in the house has been highly uncivilised, with papers and books being thrown at the Speaker and the Chief Minister. This has been condemned by people across the state," he said. Arshad also took a dig at the Modi government over inflation, saying, "The Centre has failed to control price rises. Fuel prices have skyrocketed, making it difficult for common people to live with dignity. The argument that MLAs need a salary hike due to inflation is weak, as only a few legislators are wealthy, while most come from ordinary backgrounds. However, salary rationalisation should be done in a balanced manner, keeping in mind the current economic conditions." Clarifying BJP's stance on the recent decision to increase legislators' salaries and pensions, Vijayendra stated, "None of the MLAs from the BJP or JD(S) have raised the issue of salary and pension hikes. The state government has taken this decision voluntarily, despite the state being in distress. Teachers, nurses, and physically challenged individuals have been protesting for salary increases, yet the government has chosen to increase MLAs' salaries instead. This suggests that, since the government is unable to provide funds for development in various constituencies, it has resorted to hiking salaries as a distraction." The BJP leader also raised concerns over the honey trap controversy mentioned by senior Congress MLA and Cooperative Minister KN Rajanna. "He revealed that 48 leaders at both the state and national levels have been victims of this honey trap. While the Home Minister initially stated that the matter would be investigated, he later backtracked, claiming that no official information had been received. This suggests that the Congress government is attempting to cover up the issue. The BJP and JD(S) demand that the case be handed over to the CBI or investigated by a sitting High Court judge," he said...////...