Gadkari slams Congress over minority reservation row

Agra, Feb 18 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari on Saturday slammed Congress over providing reservation to minorities.

Speaking to journalists, Gadkari lambasted Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid for promising reservation to the Muslims during Uttar Pradesh polls.

"Though the Congress party calls itself a secular party but it is not a secular party. It is a communal party and Salman Khurshid is not the law minister, he is the lawless minister. India's Law Minister insults and violates the Election Commission, which has been granted a special status by the Constitution of India. This is a well-planed strategy of the Congress government. The manner in which Beni Prasad has insulted and challenged the Election Commission, it is very unfortunate for the India democracy," he said.

Khurshid had recently promised to raise the minority reservation from 4.5 percent bracketed within the existing 27 percent Other Backward Classes (OBCs) quota, if the Congress party came to power in Uttar Pradesh.

The proposal to provide reservation to the Muslims faced flak from the BJP, which accused the Congress party of trying to split the nation on religious grounds.

A fresh row erupted on Muslim reservation on Wednesday when Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma promised reservation for Muslims and challenged the Election Commission to send him a notice on the issue.

Gadkari also said that the Congress is unable to exceed the limit of the reservation beyond 50 percent, as they would need a 2/3rd majority in both the houses of the parliament.

"As per the decision of the Supreme Court, the limit for reservation would not exceed 50 percent, and if it had to be exceeded beyond that then Constitution has to be amended and to pass any constitutional amendment a 2/3rd majority is compulsory. Both Congress and Samajwadi Party do not have a 50 percent majority, therefore they are not in a position to get a 2/3rd majority, in order to pass an amendment and it is not even possible," he said.

Election Commission had earlier served a notice for the violation of the Model Code of Conduct over the minority reservation issue to Khurshid.

Khurshid, in response clarified that he would abide by the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission. He also said that he merely reiterated, what was incorporated in the Congress party's manifesto. (ANI)