BJP protests absence of women ministers in Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar's cabinet

BJP legislators on Friday staged a protest inside the Vidhana Soudha premises over the absence of women ministers in the recently expanded DK Shivakumar Cabinet.

Calling the ruling Congress "anti-women", they raised slogans against the state government.

State BJP president BY Vijayendra led the protest. He was joined by Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and other legislators, including women.

The BJP legislators gathered near the Nada Devi Bhuvaneshwari statue at the entrance to the Vidhana Soudha premises and later marched towards the building.

Launching a strong attack on the Congress government, Vijayendra said women constitute 50 per cent of the population and should be given equal opportunities and adequate representation.

He claimed that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre took steps to provide 33 per cent reservation for women, which the Congress and Rahul Gandhi opposed.

"But in Karnataka, the Congress government itself is insulting the women's community by denying them representation," Vijayendra alleged.

He said dropping a woman minister's name after announcing her proposed induction into the Cabinet was "insulting".

Vijayendra said there were reports that a woman would be inducted into the Cabinet, but her name was later dropped.

He recalled that Karnataka was the land of Basavanna, the 12th-century social reformer, and the birthplace of Akka Mahadevi, the 12th-century social reformer and poet.

"Such a state should have set an example for the entire country. But it is extremely unfortunate that, for the first time in the state's history, the Legislative Assembly session is being held without a single woman minister in the Cabinet," he alleged.

He said the BJP strongly condemned the Congress government for "insulting" the women of Karnataka by denying them representation.

Ashoka criticised the government, alleging that it had "betrayed women" by not giving even a single woman a place in the Cabinet.

"For the first time in the history of Karnataka, the Cabinet has been formed without giving priority to women. We strongly condemn the stance of the anti-women Congress government, which does not grant rights and due respect to women," he claimed in a post on X.

Shivakumar was sworn in as CM along with 13 ministers on June 3, following Siddaramaiah's resignation on May 28.

Two months after taking charge, Shivakumar expanded his Cabinet on August 3 by inducting 19 ministers, taking its total strength to 33, including the chief minister.

There is currently no woman minister in the Shivakumar-led Cabinet.

Among those inducted recently are T Raghumurthy, who has been given the ST Welfare portfolio; Ajay Singh, Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology; Shivalinge Gowda, Excise; Vijayananda Kashappanavar, Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises; K S Basavanthappa, Muzrai, Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport; Rizwan Arshad, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs; and H C Balakrishna, Municipal Administration.

Other ministers and their portfolios include Lakshman Savadi, Cooperation; Basavaraj Raya Reddy, Higher Education; Puttaranga Shetty, Animal Husbandry and Sericulture; and Narendra Swamy, Agriculture.