Rushdie row: 'Those having objection to PIO should move court'
"This should not be made an issue. These are matters of normal processes of legal rights. There is not any special decision that is being taken by the Congress government anywhere either in the state or at the Centre," he said in response to repeated queries on the issue.
Noting that under the existing provisions, a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) can visit the country without any visa and that Rushdie could be possibly be trying to come here likewise, he added "but the implications of legal rights that overseas Indians have...can be tested before competent authority or before the courts, if the need be."
Khurshid, who is also Minority Affairs Minister and a key face of Congress in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, said that he has noted the "expression of concern" that has come from many quarters and will "definitely convey" it to the government.
Noted Islamic seminary Deoband has demanded for cancellation of Rushdie's visa even as the controversial author said he does not need a visa to come here.
Official sources have maintained 65-year-old Rushdie holds a PIO card which entitles him to visit the country without a visa.
Rushdie is not required to apply to any government authority to seek permission for his proposed visit to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival this month end, they have said.
Pointed out that even some Congress leaders have said that visa should not be given to Rushdie, Khurshid said the question of giving a visa did not arise nor was it given by the government.
"This
provision
is
for
all
PIOs
that
if
anybody
has
any
family
relations
with
India,
they
can
visit
the
country
without
any
visa...People
of
Indian
Origin
does
not
require
visa.
When
the
decision
was
taken,
all
political
parties
as
well
and
people's
groups
had
welcomed
it.
"If
people
now
want
that
the
rule
should
be
changed
and
that
the
PIOs
should
also
require
visa
to
visit
the
country,
if
some
people
have
problem
with
it,
it
can
be
redressed
at
appropriate
place.
We
cannot
change
law
sitting
here.
If
some
body
has
objections,
they
should
register
them
before
the
appropriate
office
of
the
government,"
he
told
a
press
conference
here.
Khurshid
also
stuck
to
his
stand
on
the
issue
of
reservation
for
Muslim
OBCs
which
created
a
controversy
with
the
Election
Commission
issuing
notices
to
him
and
his
wife.
"The
Centre
gave
4.5
reservation
to
backwards
among
the
minorities
in
the
27
per
cent
OBC
reservation.
So,
should
we
hide
what
we
have
already
given.
We
have
a
right
to
say
what
we
have
done.
We
had
mentioned
it
even
in
our
election
manifesto
(for
2009
Lok
Sabha
elections,"
he
said.
Responding to the criticism by opposition parties that why the decision was taken just before the elections, the minister shot back "will we take decisions as per the views of others? We took a decision in the party when we thought it to do?".
The minister, however, ducked a query about his announcement to give 9 per cent reservation to OBCs among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh if Congress came to power there, which invited the EC notices against him and his wife.
PTI