The Congress has denied that it has come out with a sub-manifesto promising 4.5% reservation to Muslims.
“Congress has not come out with any sub-manifesto,” party spokesperson and law minister Kapil Sibal said on Friday after publication of a newspaper report claiming that the Congress has promised reservation to Muslims.
The law minister said the issue of sub-quota for backward Muslims was pending in the Supreme Court and as long as the matter is not resolved there the party cannot do anything.
“These are only suggestions made in the process of public consultation. We have put it before the people. When the Congress comes to power, we will take it forward. These are suggested policies and programmes, which have come up at the open manifesto consultation process,” he said.
“When we are open to it, we have a right to consider it as and when the Supreme Court decides it. There is nothing wrong with that...There is no appeasement...We must respect the sentiments of the public,” he said.
The BJP was quick to react. Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “A matter is pending in the court, but the Congress issuing a supplementary manifesto on the subject is the most corrupt example of communalism.”