New Delhi/Varanasi/Kanpur/Chandauli, Feb 12 (ANI): Congress on Sunday distanced itself from the ongoing Salman Khurshid row and asked its members to follow the law of the land and respect constitutional bodies.
In a brief address to reporters in New Delhi on Sunday, Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi said the Congress party respected the Election Commission and its members should speak as per the rules of public life.
"Election Commission is a constitutional body. Congress always wants that all the Congressmen should speak as per norms of public life and law of the land," Dwivedi said.
Refusing to relent, the main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued its attack on the Central Government over Khurshid's remark.
BJP Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad, in context of the issue, said the government should take action against Khurshid or else it would mean that it supported Khurshid's view.
"This government's credibility is at test here. The Election Commission is a constitutional body and we all respect it. A senior Union minister is blatantly defying it, and if they don't take action against him, then the people of this country will judge them. Also, if there is no action taken against him then it would mean that whatever Salman Khurshid had said was in concurrence with the Congress party," Prasad said.arlier, Khurshid had said that if Congress was voted to power in the UP, the party would increase the sub-quota for minorities (Muslims) to nine per cent in government jobs and educational institutions within the 27 per cent reservation meant for 'Other Backward Classes (OBC).'
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal while interacting with mediapersons in Kanpur said people make statements on the basis of their own thoughts and beliefs, as of now, commenting on it would be inappropriate.
"If anybody has made statement, he gives that statement; he has his own thinking because of which he has made that statement. The Election Commission has its own thinking and the election officer is investigating the matter and more than that I comment on this topic," said Sibal.
In Chandauli, Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma tried to defended Khurshid saying what he said was right.
"Our law minister is very capable, he comes from the top lawyers' fraternity of Supreme Court and he can't commit any constitutional wrong," said Verma.
The EC on Saturday sought the president's 'immediate and decisive intervention,' after Khurshid had said that he would continue to pursue nine percent reservation for minorities (Muslims) 'even if he was hanged by them (the Election Commission)'.he poll body had censured the Law Minister over the issue, saying it was a violation of Model Code of Conduct.
Earlier in the day, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil forwarded the complaint registered by the Election Commission against Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for 'appropriate action'. (ANI)
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