Delhi unit of Panthers Party seeks action against Cong, Mukherjee

New Delhi, Nov 16 (UNI) The Delhi unit of the Panthers Party today approached the Election Commission, seeking action against the Congress and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee for what it alleged the misuse of the Haj Quota by them to woo the electorate of Gujarat in view of the upcoming assembly elections there.

The party's Delhi unit president Sanjoy Sachdev in a letter to the Election Commission said, ''I am given to understand that the Union Government is using a major part of its discretionary quota for Haj pilgrims to woo the voters of Gujarat keeping in view the coming state assembly elections.'' The letter said there is a quota to accommodate around 2000 Haj pilgrims with the Indian government under the Ministry of External Affaris headed by Mr Mukherjee.

''I understand that the government has allocated a major part of this quota to Muslim residents of Gujarat with an aim to gain political mileage in the upcoming elections,'' he alleged.

He urged the EC to probe the matter and if some substance was found in the allegations, it should take action against the Congress and Mr Mukherjee.

UNI