New Delhi, February 13: Backing his colleague Salman Khurshid who has landed in a controversy over his remarks on sub-quota for minorities, Union Minister Harish Rawat, on Monday, said it should be understood that every minister has to undertake his duties as a political leader also.
He expressed confidence that the government would be able to present its views on this “technical problem” in a proper manner. “There should be a solution to this practical difficulty for future also,” the Minister felt.
“We always respect the orders and instructions of Election Commission. But we need to understand one thing, which is a practical situation that every minister is also a political leader,” Rawat told reporters when asked about Election Commission’s objection to Law Minister’s comment during Uttar Pradesh poll campaign.
Rawat, who is Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, noted that Law Minister should be allowed to inform people about what is written in manifesto.
“Khurshid has one more responsibility as a Chairman of manifesto drafting committee, Uttar Pradesh. He should be allowed to place before the people his product, which is in the manifesto,” he observed.
Rawat said, “Every politician is in some manner also a political activist even if he is a minister”.
The EC had sought the “immediate and decisive” intervention of President Pratibha Patil after it charged Khurshid with “improper and unlawful” defiance of its orders under which he was censured for promising sub-quota for minorities.
The President had forwarded the EC’s complaint to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for proper action. Khurshid also spoke to the PM last evening on the issue.
—–PTI—