New Delhi: In a surprise move, the Congress
on Friday disowned controversial statements of Union Minister
Salman Khurshid and party general secretary Digvijay Singh
on minority reservation and Batla House encounter.
Facing a barrage of questions at the AICC media briefing,
party spokesman Rashid Alvi told reporters that Khurshid's
promise of 9 per cent sub-quota for OBC Muslims in Uttar
Pradesh was his "individual" view.
Seeking to disapprove of Digvijay Singh's claim that the
2008 gun fight of Delhi Police with suspected terrorists was
'fake', Alvi said the Congress supports government's stand on
Batla House encounter.
On his part Khurshid, who is Law and Minority Affairs
Minister, maintained he had no regrets on what he had said on
the sub-quota for OBC Muslims. He also said he has not done
anything unlawful by his statement on granting 9 per
cent quota for minorities.
Alvi merely said that there was "inner party democracy in
our party".
"It is an individual view. It would be better if you ask
Khurshid for his reaction in the matter. There is inner party
democracy in our party", was Alvi's response to a host of
questions including whether the party saw nothing wrong with
the minister's statement.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 13, 2012, 22:15