New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) Accusing Congress of playing up the minority reservation issue in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, BJP today demanded the sacking of Law Minister Salman Khurshid for sticking to his stand on the issue despite his censure by the Election Commission. Khurshid had yesterday addressed an election rally in Khatakpur locality of Farrukhabad, saying even if the "(Election) Commission hangs him or does anything else", he would ensure that members of backward muslim (pasmanda) community get their rights. Attacking Congress for raising the backward minorities issue in the elections, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said "it is only vote bank politics". He said the minorities reservation is not on the basis of religion but on the basis of communities who are backward. "What was the need of talking about nine per cent reservation ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections...It is not nine per cent but nine out of 27 per cent. This is an attempt to make 33 per cent reservation out of the backward reservation quota on the basis of religion," he said while campaigning in Lucknow. BJP leaders also raised the pitch for Khurshid's sacking as a minister for "defying" and "insulting" a constitutional authority by sticking to his stand despite his censure from the poll body for violating the model code of conduct. BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who on his party's behalf filed the complaint against Khurshid before the EC, said "the Prime Minister should expel such type of minister who is openly defying the Constitution and constitutional authority and conspiring to destory the social harmony of the country on caste and communal grounds."
