Congress manifesto may promise 9% sub-quota for minorities

Congress is expected to promise a nine percent sub-quota for minorities in its manifesto for the ensuing Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, notwithstanding the Election Commission notice to Law Minister Salman Khurshid for his commitment to voters on the issue.

"The issue can find a mention in the Manifesto for UP", a senior party leader said as Khurshid remained unfazed by the notice sent by the Election Commission and maintained that he had not violated the model code of conduct by talking of the sub-quota within the OBC reservation.

Khurshid, who is also the Minorities Affairs Minister heads the Manifesto Drafting Committee for UP which has Rita Bahuguna Joshi, PL Punia, Sanjay Singh, Jairam Ramesh among others the members.

In Bareilly, the Law Minister insisted that he has "not violated the model code of conduct. I have a right to put forth my view. It should reach the people," he told reporters in Delhi on Wednesday.

"It means that we should not bring out a manifesto, not deliver a speech and sit back at home and elections should be held without all these," he asked.

"The Sachar Committee and the Ranganath Misra Commission have recommended 8.5% quota for Muslims. What is wrong if I talk about nine percent reservation for them," he said.

The Law Minister said that among the total population of the country, 17% to 18% were Muslims against which reservation of only 9% was being talked about.

He said that in every state reservation would be given to minorities from the quota of other backward classes in ratio with their population.