Congress on Thursday disapproved of Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma's controversial remarks daring the Election Commission to issue a notice to him over his statement on sub-quota for minorities.
"Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had said very clearly three-four days back that we function under democracy and the language of our political discourse should be restrained and we should definitely respect Constitutional bodies.
"This statement given by our party general secretary is applicable to me, to Beni Prasad Verma, Salman Khurshid and all of us," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
However, at the same time, she said she had not heard "what Prasad said, what was the atmosphere or whom he attacked".
The poll panel has already begun examining Verma's remarks made at a poll rally in the presence of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh and Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid in Farrukhabad in which, he had said, "Reservation for Muslims will be increased and if the EC wants, it can now issue notice to me."
Verma in his speech had also supported Khurshid, saying he was "honestly fighting for the Muslims". He said that if Congress comes to power, then they would work for more reservation.
Khurshid had triggered a controversy last week by stating that he would continue to speak on nine per cent sub-quota for minorities even if the Election Commission "hanged" him.
The EC had yesterday put a lid on the standoff with Khurshid after he expressed regrets over his "defiance" of the poll body over his remarks on subquota for minorities.
In the middle of the controversy, Dwivedi had said, "The Election Commission is a constitutional body. Congress always wants that all Congressmen should speak as per the norms of public life and the law of the land".
