The BJP said on Sunday that a “constitutional calamity” had arisen after the Election Commission complained to the President about Union minister Salman Khurshid’s violation of the model code of conduct during UP polls. “Mr Salman Khurshid is the law minister and also the minority affairs minister. He is well aware of the provisions of the law.
The Election Commission had directed him not to make any announcements regarding Muslim reservation since it goes against the level playing field principle of the moral code of conduct. Yet, he is making announcements and violating the code of conduct,” senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here on Sunday.
He further said that a constitutional body like the Election Commission is being defied by a senior minister of the Centre an this has created an unprecedented constitutional crisis. “Will the Prime Minister take action? Or maintain his conventional inaction? Will Mrs Sonia Gandhi speak something? Or maintain her conspicuous silence?” he asked.
Meanwhile in Bhadoi, BJP Parliamentary Party chairman L.K. Advani alleged that the law minister was making a “mockery” of model code of conduct. “The PM should sack Khurshid for making comments on EC. No minister had ever made comments against the EC in such a way. After being censured by the commission, the minister is making mockery of model code of conduct,” Mr Advani said.
Meanwhile, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said on Sunday that the Prime Minister should ban Salman Khurshid in UP till the elections are over. “Any competent Prime Minister should have expelled him from the government. But the least that Dr Manmohan Singh can do is to ban him from visiting UP,” he said.