New Delhi: No sooner had the Salman Khurshid Muslim quota speech controversy officially died than another senior Congress minister, Beni Prasad Verma, has stirred one on the very same issue. Mr Verma, the Union Steel Minister and a prominent UP leader, not only talked about the Congress' promise of reservation for Muslims yesterday, but even challenged the Election Commission. Among those crying foul is the Congress' fickle ally, the Trinamool Congress.
Mr Verma, who is an import from the Samajwadi Party, was addressing an election rally in Farrukhabad, when he said, "Reservation for Muslims will be increased and if the EC wants, it can now issue a notice to me." Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh and Law Minister Salman Khurshid sat and listened. Mr Khurshid's wife Louise Khurshid is the Congress candidate from Farrukhabad, and it was here that the Law Minister too had made a speech on the same issue that plunged him into a row with the poll panel. Mr Verma, in his speech, supported Mr Khurshid, saying he was "honestly fighting for the Muslims."
It also has a formal complaint. From theTrinamool Congress. Trinamool leader and Mr Verma's colleague in the UPA ministry Sultan Ahmed said today, "Whether it's Beni or Salman, Congress leaders are breaking model code of conduct...they want to fool the community...Minorities in UP are not voting on this issue."
Salman Khurshid had first stirred a hornet's nest in January when he talked about a nine per cent sub quota for minorities in UP if the Congress was voted to power. There were protests and complaints from other parties and the Election Commission held his speech as a violation of the model code of conduct. Mr Khurshid then triggered fresh controversy last week by stating that he would continue to speak on the nine per cent sub-quota for minorities even if the Election Commission "hangs me". The poll panel yesterday put a lid on the standoff with the minister after he expressed regret over his "defiance" of the poll body.
(With PTI inputs)
Mr Verma, who is an import from the Samajwadi Party, was addressing an election rally in Farrukhabad, when he said, "Reservation for Muslims will be increased and if the EC wants, it can now issue a notice to me." Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh and Law Minister Salman Khurshid sat and listened. Mr Khurshid's wife Louise Khurshid is the Congress candidate from Farrukhabad, and it was here that the Law Minister too had made a speech on the same issue that plunged him into a row with the poll panel. Mr Verma, in his speech, supported Mr Khurshid, saying he was "honestly fighting for the Muslims."
It also has a formal complaint. From theTrinamool Congress. Trinamool leader and Mr Verma's colleague in the UPA ministry Sultan Ahmed said today, "Whether it's Beni or Salman, Congress leaders are breaking model code of conduct...they want to fool the community...Minorities in UP are not voting on this issue."
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Salman Khurshid had first stirred a hornet's nest in January when he talked about a nine per cent sub quota for minorities in UP if the Congress was voted to power. There were protests and complaints from other parties and the Election Commission held his speech as a violation of the model code of conduct. Mr Khurshid then triggered fresh controversy last week by stating that he would continue to speak on the nine per cent sub-quota for minorities even if the Election Commission "hangs me". The poll panel yesterday put a lid on the standoff with the minister after he expressed regret over his "defiance" of the poll body.
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(With PTI inputs)
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