Congress virtually snubbed Law Minister Salman Khurshid over his remarks on sub quota after the Election Commission's censure.
Congress today sought to put a lid on all controversial statements made by party leaders during poll campaigning in Uttar Pradesh by virtually snubbing Law Minister Salman Khurshid over his remarks on sub quota after the Election Commission's censure.
Party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi's assertion that Congress always wants partymen to speak as per "norms of public life" and the "law of the land" comes at a time when a number of senior Congress leaders in Uttar Pradesh have made statements which did not go down well with party leadership.
Khurshid's earlier statement in Azamgarh that party chief Sonia Gandhi was in "tears" when she saw the photograph of Batla House encounter also did not find any takers in AICC, which feels the name of Gandhi family should not be dragged into controversies unnecessarily.
Sources in the party said it was not approporiate to drag the family name this way into such sensitive issues.
While party general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh Digvijay Singh rebutted Khurshid's claim over the Batla issue saying, "Soniaji never cried. These are Salman Khurshid's words," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary insisted Khurshid had said something else which was interpreted differently.
Asked whether Congress was distancing from the Minister's statement, Chowdhary retorted, "We are neither distancing nor endorsing."
Khurshid also later clarified saying what he actually meant was that Gandhi had become "emotional" at seeing those photogrpahs.
In Kanpur, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the Home Minister has already taken a stand on the Batla issue and this should be considered as the last word.
Home Minister P Chidambaram has maintained that the 2008 gun fight between security forces and terrorists in Delhi was indeed genuine and there was no scope for reopening the case.
Sibal also refused to comment on Union minister Beni Prasad Verma's reference to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's age.
Verma has said Singh is already 80 years now and it is time for Rahul Gandhi to become Congress Prime Minsterial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Another Union Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said a few days back that Rahul Gandhi will remote control the next government in Uttar Pradesh irrespective of the fact whoever becomes Chief Minister there in the eventuality of Congress coming back to power.
As the remarks kicked up a political controversy, Congress chose to duck questions on the issue, saying it was not aware of the statement that was made on camera a day back.
Senior party leaders feel unnecessarily dragging names of Congress' first family into sensitive issues does no benefit to the party and leaves it open to all sorts of attacks.
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