New Delhi [India], July 13 : Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi has said that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had great respect for the Election Commission and recalled that when he was conveyed poll body's views about the "loose talk" by his ministers during the second UPA government, he said "if that is what you think, I'll commit suicide...".
In an interview with ANI, Quraishi, who served as CEC from 2010 to 2012, said he was shocked to hear words of Manmohan Singh and "was not prepared for this at all".
Quraishi said it took him 15-20 minutes to calm the then Prime Minister.
He also said that any aspersion cast on Election Commission was not acceptable to Manmonan Singh.
The incident pertains to 2012 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and the Election Commission had pulled up then Union Law and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid over his remarks.
"When we were doing elections in UP, that was the time when Law Minister Salman Khurshid made an announcement that if they come to power, they'll increase the quota for minorities. Immediately BJP complained (to the Election Commission). We used to take all these complaints very seriously. We immediately gave a notice to the other party and a battery of lawyers from both sides appeared," he said.
"After four days of hearing, we came to the conclusion that Mr. Khurshid had indeed violated the model code. So we imposed the maximum punishment... After that, some Congress Ministers and leaders started indulging in loose talk against the election commission and me, personally. We were very upset. I don't mind people criticizing me, but condemning the election commission was not acceptable," he added.
Quraishi recalled having conversation with Harish Khare, who was media advisor to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"So on one occasion when Harish Khare (Media Adviser to former PM Manmohan Singh) met me, I told him that this kind of loose talk is not acceptable and if I speak to the media that this is what is happening, your government will run for cover. So he said should I tell the Prime Minister? I said, it is meant for the Prime Minister only so that he takes action," Quraishi said.
"The next day I got, almost a panic call from Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh saying, Qureshi ji, I want to meet you immediately... When I met him, he said, Mr. Qureshi, Harish has told me about your conversation, last night. If that is what you think, I'll commit suicide... I was shocked. I was not prepared for this at all. I was only bringing to the notice the loose talk which his ministers were indulging in. It took me 15-20 minutes to calm him," he added.
Quraishi said he told the then Prime Minister that he admired him.
"You are such a great supporter of election commission.... This shows his sensitivity and his great respect for the commission. And any aspersion cast on Election Commission was not acceptable to him," the former CEC said.
Khurshid had promised nine per cent reservations for backward Muslims in Uttar Pradesh while campaigning for his wife Louise who was Congress candidate from Farrukhabad. He was censured by the Election Commission.
He later expressed regrets over his remarks and said he bows to wisdom of Election Commission.