New Delhi:
The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday sent a letter to the President against Law Minister Salman Khurshid for his defiant attitude on the poll code. President Pratibha Patil has now forwarded Election Commission's letter against the union minister to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office for 'appropriate action'.
(Read letter)"The Commission is shocked that instead of being remorseful about the violation of the Model Code, that carries the consensus of all political parties and the sanction of the Supreme Court, the Minister has chosen to be defiant and aggressive. This is unprecedented," the letter said.
The poll panel had censured Mr Khurshid for his remarks on sub-quota for minorities, finding them to be a violation of the model code of conduct for elections. It had said that Mr Khurshid had violated the model code of conduct by making a promise of a nine per cent sub-quota for minorities and that it expects him not to repeat such violations.
But, addressing an election rally in Khatakpur locality on Friday night, a defiant Mr Khurshid had said that the EC had censured him, but even if the "Commission hangs him or does anything else", he would ensure that people of Pasmanda community get their rights.
Reacting to the EC censure, Mr Khurshid said, "If they want to hang me they can, they can hang me for committing to people for a quota. We will change the fate of the poor, even if we have to go against EC, we will change the fate of the poor. I will then come and stand in front of the court of the people and fight my case. I want to stand in the court of the people and ask 'isnt it the right of the people'?"
The poll panel today reacted sharply to Mr Khurshid's controversial speech in its letter to President Pratibha Patil, saying, "We have found the tone and tenor of the Union Minister dismissive and utterly contemptuous about the Commission's lawful direction to him, besides the fact that his action is damaging the level playing field in the election."
The EC order had come on BJP's complaint about Mr. Khurshid's remarks, asking the Commission to take action against him for violation of model code of conduct.
The BJP today demanded Mr Khurshid's resignation for defying the poll code. "Under Art 75(2) of the Constitution a Minister can continue in office during the pleasure of the President... We request the President to withdraw her pleasure and dismiss Shri Salman Khurshid as a Minister of the Union Cabinet for acting against the law and the Constitution," Senior party leader Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
Meanwhile, Mr Khurshid's persistence in backing the Muslim minority is seemingly losing support within the party. Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said the party is not responsible for comments made by 'individuals' in the party and he has 'nothing to say' on the law minister.
"The Congress party does not take note of individuals' comments; have nothing to say on Salman Khurshid," Mr Alvi said in Varansi.
Mr. Khurshid, while campaigning for his wife Louise, a Congress candidate from Farrukhabad Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had promised the electorate last month that the party would increase the sub-quota for minorities to nine per cent, out of the 27 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation.