<p>Congress leader and Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma has reignited the row over reservations for minorities in Uttar Pradesh by promising sub-quotas for Muslims if the party was voted to power in the state.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Addressing a political rally at Kayamganj assembly constituency in Farrukhabad district Wednesday, Verma said: "Muslims don't have their homes; they don't have jobs and 70 percent of them work as labourers. Non-Congress governments in the state have not done anything for their betterment. <br /><br />"We will make sure that quotas for them is increased if the Congress comes to power in Uttar Pradesh," he said.<br /><br />Verma's remarks come two days after Law Minister Salman Khurshid apologized to the Election Commission, regretting his remarks on sub-quota for backward sections of minorities in Uttar Pradesh, where elections are going on. <br /><br />"I said in Farrukhabad that Muslims have not got their due and the central government has made a reservation of 4.5 percent for them and it needs to be increased. If Election Commission serves me a notice I will reply to it," Prasad told Times Now.<br /><br />Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said: "There is nothing wrong in what he (Verma) has said as increasing quota for Muslims is part of the Congress manifesto.<br /><br />"Talking about things in party's manifesto is not a violation of election model code of conduct," he added.</p>
<p>Congress leader and Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma has reignited the row over reservations for minorities in Uttar Pradesh by promising sub-quotas for Muslims if the party was voted to power in the state.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Addressing a political rally at Kayamganj assembly constituency in Farrukhabad district Wednesday, Verma said: "Muslims don't have their homes; they don't have jobs and 70 percent of them work as labourers. Non-Congress governments in the state have not done anything for their betterment. <br /><br />"We will make sure that quotas for them is increased if the Congress comes to power in Uttar Pradesh," he said.<br /><br />Verma's remarks come two days after Law Minister Salman Khurshid apologized to the Election Commission, regretting his remarks on sub-quota for backward sections of minorities in Uttar Pradesh, where elections are going on. <br /><br />"I said in Farrukhabad that Muslims have not got their due and the central government has made a reservation of 4.5 percent for them and it needs to be increased. If Election Commission serves me a notice I will reply to it," Prasad told Times Now.<br /><br />Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said: "There is nothing wrong in what he (Verma) has said as increasing quota for Muslims is part of the Congress manifesto.<br /><br />"Talking about things in party's manifesto is not a violation of election model code of conduct," he added.</p>