The Election Commiss-ion has issued a notice to Union minister for steel Beni Prasad Verma for violating the moral code of conduct with his remarks on a minority quota at an election rally in UP two days ago. The minister is required to submit his reply by Monday evening.
At a rally in Kayamganj, in Faruk-khabad, on Wednesday night, the minister had announced that the Congress would enhance reservation for Muslims if voted to power. The BJP and the Trinamul Congress reported his statement to the EC which summoned a video-recording of the meeting.
Mr Verma later said it had been a slip of the tongue. “I respect the Election Commission but with this hectic campaigning it is hard to recollect what exactly I said,” he told reporters. Mr Verma said he had not yet received the EC notice but would clarify the issue when he received it. “The issue of Muslim reservation is in the manifesto, and if one does not talk about it in elections, when does one talk about it,” he asked.