Salman Khurshid with wife Louise who is contesting Assembly Elections from UP Farukhabad Constituency.

Law Minister Salman Khurshid was today caught in a raging controversy over his promise for nine per cent sub-quota for backward Muslims.

The BJP complained to the Election Commission following which it slapped a showcause notice on his wife, a Congress candidate in Farrukhabad Assembly consituency in Uttar Pradesh.

A BJP delegation headed by Mukhtar Abnbas Naqvi, MP, met Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and demanded action against Khurshid for making the promise at an election meeting in support of his wife, Louise, accusing him of violating the model code of conduct and the Constitution.

Naqvi said seeking votes in the name of religion was a violation of election laws.  What an irony, who is speaking BJP National Vice President a good friend of mine, I am surprised by his stand “Seeking votes in the name of Religion” What has BJP done since it was formed, all that it has done is dividing Indians on the basis of Religions, polarizing  masses by inciting communal sentiments pitching one against another, on the issue of Mandir and Masjid.

However, Khurshid rejected charges against him claiming he was only referring to the party’s election manifesto while campaigning for Louise.

The minister hit back at BJP saying the party was following double standards because it uses as a poll plank the promise to construct a Ram temple.

Acting on the BJP’s complaint and taking cognisance of the Law Minister’s promise, the election authorities served a showcause to his wife, asking her to explain within three days the statements made by her husband while campaigning in her favour.

 

Farrukhabad District Electoral Officer Sachchidanand Dubey told PTI that “a showcause notice has been served on Louise Khurshid by the returning officer for Farrukhabad Assembly constituency Ashok Kumar Lal”.

The Law minister while campaigning in Farrukhabad had on Sunday promised to the electorate that if Congress is voted to power in the state it would enhance the sub-quota to Muslims to 9 per cent within the 27 per cent quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi, who faced a volley of questions from the media over the showcause notice said the Election Commission is a Constitutional body and the party respected its decision.

The Congress party in its manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections had promised to give reservation to backward Muslims and implement the Sachar Committee report and the Ranganath Mishra Committee report on minorities.

I am happy to know Salman Khurshid has mentioned Congress has promissed in 2009 Elections Manifesto to implement Sachar  Committee Report and Ranganth Mishra Committee Recommendations.

But then why not table the Ranganath Mishra Commission Report in Parliament and get it passed.  Instead of hitting in the bushes and disturbing and giving reason to the other OBC’s complaining t of tampering in to there rights.  As BJP fears may create though this all can be debated may carry bad taste for the remaining OBC’s.

Naqvi said today: “The Congress is trying to create communal tension in Uttar Pradesh and the country by announcing an increase in the sub-quota for Muslims. The announcement made by the Law minister is in violation of the model code of conduct and is unconstitutional, he said.

Now that the Congress the main rival for BJP is showing wisdom and realizing or if  I may put it, knows well it is the Muslim Vote that counts most for Congress  if it  wants to remain in the game of politics  in UP or  in many other states and in the count.

Muslims are the  best section of the Indian Nation  is  traditional loyalty of it enjoyed for most of the period since Independence, till the time Congress mis handled the Babri Issue and had failed to protect Babri Masjid in Ayodha in UP in 1991.

Times changed for Congress only after Babri Demolish-en and the people who did the politics of Religion and were instrumental in its demolishen were BJP and its Leaders who even today are faced with cases in respect of Babri Demolish-en.

 

“We will not allow anyone to snatch or grab the rights of the backward classes. BJP will not allow the Congress or BSP to play the caste card and try to divide the people on the basis of caste and religion.”

Khurshid rejected BJP’s charge saying such a scheme has already been implemented in Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

“It means we should not bring out a manifesto, not deliver a speech and sit back at home and elections should be held without all these… They can talk of building a Ram temple and we are only referring to a provision which is already there,” Khurshid said.

My fear is will this just be a lip service or will it be implemented with equal zeal and passion to make sure the backward in the Muslim Minorities get full benifit of such guidlines if the Congress Comes in to power. The big question is will Congress come to power in UP, this is like asking for moon in day light.

One point is clear, it is Muslims who have got the most in bargain this time around, they did not take to streets, they did not threaten the political parties they sent a message in silence loud and clear if the  Political parties do not give them their due they will convert victory  in to defeats for them.

Has Salman shot a calculative move to bring about what ever possible advantage for her loving wife Lousie in Farukhabad in UP and to the give value to boost Rahul Campaign as a loyal Solider to the Gandhi Family and Congress or Salman seriously expects  miracle will happen and Congress will emerge as a single largest party in UP and lead a Govt with the support of SP or BSP and RLD.  Sounds little absurd but we never know miracles do happen.