Lucknow/Varanasi:
Sticking to his stand on minorities, Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that he would ensure the rights of Pasmanda Muslim community even if the Election Commission (EC) "hangs" him even as the Congress party seemed to turn away from the controversy.
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.
Addressing an election rally in Khatakpur locality on Friday night, Mr Khurshid said that Election Commission 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.
"Can't I even say that Pasmanda Muslims would get their due?" he said, adding that Congress was set to hoist the tricolour in the state Assembly after 22 years.
The Commission 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.
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.
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.
(With inputs from PTI)