Sushma Swaraj BJP leader slams Congress over Muslim quota row

Slamming the Congress over a minority sub-quota row, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj has said the former had committed a crime by dividing the country on religious grounds.

"The Congress has committed the crime of sowing the seeds of a second partition. Our Constitution does not allow religious reservations. We have given reservations to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the socially backward classes, but never religion-based reservations as it is not allowed," Swaraj told.

"This is because the fathers of our Constitution knew that religion-based reservations would divide the country on communal lines," Swaraj added.

BJP leader Rajnath Singh lashed out at Congress leaders for violating the Election Commission's code of conduct.

"I find it very disappointing that union ministers have the guts to challenge an institution like the Election Commission. The BJP stands against such behavior. They should respect the Election Commission because if their dignity is lowered intentionally, other constitutional institutions could face the same kind of threat," said Singh.

BJP leader's comments come after Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma and Law Minister Salman Khurshid said that if the Congress were to form the next state government, they would raise the sub quota for Muslims to nine per cent within the 27 per cent reservation meant for Other Backward Classes.