New Delhi, Feb. 16: After law minister Salman Khurshid, another Union minister Beni Prasad Verma dared the Election Commission (EC) to take action against him with his sub-quota for Muslims remarks, which drew criticism from friends and foes as also the Congress party.

“Reservation for Muslims will be increased and if the EC wants, it can now issue a notice to me,” Verma said while addressing a rally at Kaimganj in Farukkhabad last night in the presence of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh and Khurshid.

The EC today began examining if Verma’s remarks violated the model code of conduct.

“We are in possession of the CD of the minister’s speech. The commission is examining the matter,” said an EC official in Delhi.

The Congress made a public disapproval of Verma’s remarks.

“Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had very clearly said three-four days ago that we function under democracy and that the language of our political discourse should be restrained and we should respect constitutional bodies. This statement given by our party general secretary is applicable to me, Beni Prasad Verma, Salman Khurshid and all of us,” information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said.

The BJP said the one-upmanship among Congress leaders for appeasement and vote-bank politics was “very regrettable” and asked the EC to take action.

The UPA ally the Trinamul Congress complained to the EC, demanding that he be barred from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.

Senior Trinamul leader and Union minister of state for tourism Sultan Ahmed today said: “There is a political conspiracy by the Congress and an attempt to fool Muslims as ministers are making statements on sub-quota for backward minorities one after another. Beni Prasad Verma should be debarred from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.”

Ahmed also rejected the Congress’ contention that the model code of conduct does not have a statutory status.

“It becomes a code of conduct when the matter concerns other parties but not when it is related to the ruling party? It is surprising. First, it was Khurshid now, it is Beni Prasad. They think that Muslims would bite this bait. This is not going to happen. If the government is serious about giving any such thing to Muslims, it should announce it at the government level,” he said.