Muslims' 'proper sanctity' remark: Khurshid, Yechury, Owaisi slam Prasad

We didn't victimise any Muslim despite knowing they don't vote for BJP, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

Commenting on Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's statement that Muslims do not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite the government giving them 'proper sanctity', Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday said he saw no reason why someone should feel that a particular segment of society is unable to vote for them.

"I see no reason why someone should feel that a particular segment of society is unable to vote for them," Khurshid told ANI.

Khurshid added that he is unable to understand the statement "that even though they don't vote us, we give them sanctity".

"We should see who does not vote for us and find why, and see if it can be addressed. Don't know from where has 'sanctity' come in," Khurshid added.

Resonating similar views, Congress leader Ashok Choudhary stated that speaking wrong about anyone's caste and culture is not a correct statement.

"To identify a person from his or her caste is wrong; we all have our own identity. Being in the government and speaking wrong about anyone's caste and culture is not a correct statement. With these statements, peoples' mind will get diverted," Choudhary told ANI.

On Friday, Ravi Shankar Prasad addressing a Mindmine Summit said, "We have got thirteen chief ministers of our own. Have we witnessed any Muslim gentleman working in the industry or service? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledged very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?"

Taking on the Left and elements in the media attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prasad extended them his best wishes.

"We have a problem with some of our friends. Mostly, the Leftist friends and journalists who entertain a pathological hatred of Narendra Modi. Good luck to them," Prasad quipped.

The Union Minister went ahead to state that Left is "left out" all over the world and has also faced defeat in India.

"They are left out in Bengal, are surviving in Kerala and Tripura, but the Left has got a very good campus in Delhi, which is the JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) and I always say the Left also needs some consolation prize. So, JNU is their consolation prize, we don't mind that," Prasad said.

Sanctity to Muslims is not charity, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury reminded Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday.

Union Minister for Law and Justice and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad stoked controversy on Friday by saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had given sanctity to Muslims who don't vote for the BJP.

Talking to ANI here, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Yechury wondered: "What do you mean by sanctity? Is the law minister doing charity by giving sanctity?"

He said the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or atheists like me are all Indian citizens.

"The sanctity is provided by the Indian constitution. It is not charity of any minister. Let them not talk in these terms because there is very unbecoming of being a minister," said Yechury.

While addressing a function in New Delhi, Prasad said that the BJP, which is ruling the country and has its own 13 chief ministers, didn't victimise any Muslim despite knowing they don't vote for BJP.

"Have we victimised any Muslim gentleman working in industry or service? Have we dismissed them? We don't get Muslim votes. I acknowledge very clearly, but have we given them proper sanctity or not?" Prasad told the gathering.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has termed as 'unfortunate' the statement of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who stated that the centre have given Muslims 'proper sanctity'.

The AIMIM leader said it's not Ravi Shankar Prasad who has given Muslims proper sanctity but our Constitution.

Owaisi told ANI, "We gave them sanctity? Who are 'We'? It is the Constitution that has given rights, our rights are protected under that."

Asserting that the Constitution is supreme, Owaisi said that Ravi Shankar's work is to implement those constitutional rights.

"In a democracy like India, we have got full freedom to choose our leaders. Ravi Shankar needs to understand that the Constitution is supreme," he added.