After Khurshid, another minister promises quotas in UP
February 16th, 2012 - 2:12 pm ICT by IANSLucknow, Feb 16 (IANS) Congress leader and Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma has reignited the row over reservations for minorities in Uttar Pradesh by promising sub-quotas for Muslims if the party was voted to power in the state.
Addressing a political rally at Kayamganj assembly constituency in Farrukhabad district Wednesday, Verma said: “Muslims don’t have their homes; they don’t have jobs and 70 percent of them work as labourers. Non-Congress governments in the state have not done anything for their betterment.
“We will make sure that quotas for them is increased if the Congress comes to power in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Verma’s remarks come two days after Law Minister Salman Khurshid apologized to the Election Commission, regretting his remarks on sub-quota for backward sections of minorities in Uttar Pradesh, where elections are going on.
“I said in Farrukhabad that Muslims have not got their due and the central government has made a reservation of 4.5 percent for them and it needs to be increased. If Election Commission serves me a notice I will reply to it,” Prasad told Times Now.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said: “There is nothing wrong in what he (Verma) has said as increasing quota for Muslims is part of the Congress manifesto.
“Talking about things in party’s manifesto is not a violation of election model code of conduct,” he added.
- Congress in quota controversy again (Lead) - Feb 16, 2012
- BJP complains to poll panel against Verma's quota remarks (Lead) - Feb 17, 2012
- Poll panel asks Verma to explain 'wilfull' sub-quota remark (Lead) - Feb 18, 2012
- Congress leader re-ignites quota controversy, opposition furious (Roundup) - Feb 16, 2012
- Not guilty of violating model code, Verma tells poll panel (Lead) - Feb 21, 2012
- Quota remarks: Poll panel notice to Verma, minister unfazed (Second Lead) - Feb 18, 2012
- BJP complains to poll panel over quota controversy - Feb 17, 2012
- BJP hits out at PM's 'deafening silence' - Feb 16, 2012
- Congress to reply to poll panel on Verma's comments - Feb 20, 2012
- All respect for poll panel but said nothing wrong: Verma - Feb 18, 2012
- Congress now backs Khurshid's quota promise - Jan 14, 2012
- Quota row: Poll panel notice to Khurshid on BJP's complaint (Night Lead) - Jan 11, 2012
- BJP moves EC over Khurshid's remarks on Muslim quota (Evening Lead) - Jan 10, 2012
- Have not violated poll code, says Khurshid - Jan 11, 2012
- Ministers will speak according to EC guideline: Khurshid - Feb 18, 2012
Tags: beni, betterment, central government, code of conduct, congress leader, congress manifesto, constituency, digvijay singh, election commission, general secretary, law minister, lucknow, minorities, model code, muslims, political rally, prasad, quota, quotas, salman