Congress backs Salman Khurshid over standoff with Election Commission

Lucknow/Kanpur, Feb 12 (ANI): With the Election Commission writing a letter to President Pratibha Patil seeking immediate and decisive action against Salman Khurshid for his remarks on job quotas for minorities, the ruling Congress Party on Sunday came out in full defence of the Union Law Minister, and said that he had done nothing wrong.

Senior Congress leader Abid Hussain maintained that the Law Minister's views were in-sync with the Congress' stance on the issue.

"Whatever Salman Khurshid has said in his campaigns is in accordance with the Congress' stance in the election manifesto. If we cannot convey and discuss the provisions laid down in our manifesto with the masses, then what is the use of our leaders going to public meetings?" he told the media in Lucknow.

Another Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal echoing similar sentiments said the party was keen to hold discussions on the issue of minority reservation on the basis of latest census statistics.

"As far as I am aware, Mr. Salman Khurshid has said nothing wrong. He has spoken about providing additional reservation to Muslims, and has also said that discussions pertaining to this will be held when the latest census data is made available," Jaiswal told the media in Kanpur.

"I have no information regarding this. However, when the latest census data is made available, discussions on Muslim reservation will certainly be held," he added, when asked to comment on the complaint lodged by the Election Commission.

The Election Commission last night sought the "immediate and decisive" intervention of President Patil after it charged Khurshid with "improper and unlawful" defiance of its orders under which he was censured for promising sub-quota for minorities. (ANI)