The BJP on Saturday asked the Election Commission to ban Union law minister Salman Khurshid from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh on the day he reiterated his earlier remark of ensuring 9% sub-quota for Muslims.
The commission on Thursday had censured Khurshid for promising
the quota in 27% reservation for other backward classes during an election rally in Farrukhabad, from where his wife Louise is the Congress candidate.
Khurshid said at an election rally on Saturday that even if “EC hangs him or does anything else” he would ensure that Pasmanda Muslims get their rights. “Can't I even say that Pasmanda Muslims would get their due?" he said, in an apparent reference to the EC censuring him on Thursday.
The BJP was quick to reach and lodged a complaint with the election watchdog saying that if left unchecked, “these postures will undermine” the commission’s legitimacy.
“It is now more than apparent that the Law minister will continue undaunted to seek votes on the basis of religion--a practice abhorred by the Commission,” BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, after submitting the complaint with the commission.
The BJP also suggested that the EC may report the whole matter to the Prime Minister for suitable disciplinary action against the Law Minister for undermining the authority of the Commission.
The EC had issued censured Khurshid on an earlier complaint of BJP finding him guilty of violating the model code of conduct.