Khurshid takes on Prasad on Muslims 'proper sanctity' comment

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.