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| Saffron Gandhi booked for communal remarks | | | New Delhi/Pilibhit, March 17: Acting swiftly on the Election Commission’s directions, the district magistrate of Pilibhit in UP on Tuesday filed an FIR against BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Varun Gandhi over his alleged communal remarks.
The action comes after the Election Commission directed Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Election Officer to file a case against Varun and issue notice to his party for the communal remarks against a particular religion.
The FIR has been filed under Section 153 A of the Indian Penal code which pertains to spreading enmity between two communities and is non-bailable.
Varun is in the eye of a storm for making inflammatory remarks with communal overtones which saw the Election Commission slap a notice on the young Gandhi and his party the BJP.
"This is not a 'Hand' (Congress symbol), it is the power of the 'Lotus' (BJP symbol). It will cut the head of....... Jai Shri Ram," Gandhi (29), son of late Sanjay Gandhi and Maneka, said in his rabid vitriolic against members of a minority community in a raised voice at a recent election meeting in Pilibhit from where he is being fielded.
Continuing in the same vein, the grandson of Indira Gandhi told another meeting "If anyone raises a finger towards Hindus or if someone thinks that Hindus are weak and leaderless, if someone thinks that these leaders lick our boots for votes, if anyone raises a finger towards Hindus, then I swear on Gita that I will cut that hand."
Congress, headed by Varun's aunt Sonia Gandhi, was quick to condemn the remarks as "unethical and against law".
"It is condemnable.... He (Varun) is associated with a party which has this ideology (anti-minority) and culture," Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in Delhi.
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi snubbed Varun, contesting his maiden election, saying the controversial speech is a manifestation of his family's past Congress culture and that his outbursts did not reflect BJP's traditional culture.
But Varun, whose mother is also a BJP MP, denied the charge in his reply submitted to the District Magistrate MP Agarwal.
On a complaint from the Congress party, Varun was slapped with a notice by the Election Commission charging him with violation of the model code of conduct for elections for his alleged communal remarks during a rally held on March 6 in Pilibhit.
"Notices have been issued to BJP candidate from Pilibhit and state unit president for their alleged communal remarks. They have been asked to submit their replies," election officials in Lucknow said here.
The DM said that a complaint was received from the Congress against Varun on which an inquiry had been ordered. He said that the inquiry would be conducted by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bisalpur M S Akhtar.
"Making communal or casteist remarks amounts to violation of the model code of conduct," officials said.
Varun Gandhi is contesting from Pilibhit seat from where Maneka was elected in the last general election. Maneka is contesting from Aonla parliamentary constituency this time.
BJP leader Chandan Mitra said the Election Commission has to take cognizance of the remarks.
"If the Commission comes to a conclusion that he (Varun) had indeed said it and it does violate the election code of conduct then obviously, the laws of the land must take precedence," he added.
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