03-27-2009, 10:43 PM
<b>Hate speech: Varun Gandhi withdraws bail plea from HC</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Earlier in the day, Varun Gandhi's lawyer Ryan Karanjewala said the BJP leader would not move the Supreme Court to defend himself in connection with the 'hate speech' he is alleged to have made in Pilibhit.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj reacting to the new turn of events said to media that <b>the party leadership has given Varun Gandhi the 'green signal' to go ahead and court arrest in Pilibhit. </b>
<b>The question now is, whether Varun will court arrest in Pilibhit and project himself as a 'political martyr'. </b>
Sources said Varun would reach the Pilibhit court on Saturday in what is seen as a shrewd move to play victim and turn the row over his hate speech into an emotional campaign theme.
When contacted, Varun, whose plea to get the FIR registered against him for his purported anti-Muslim remarks was dismissed, refused to confirm the plan.
But that his camp has decided to shift into aggressive gears was evident when Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi stepped out to defend him and launch a scathing attack on Congress. <b>"Congress is behind the conspiracy to defame Varun," Maneka said days after Varun's cousins Priyanka and Rahul disapproved of the remarks attributed to the BJP candidate from Pilibhit. </b>
In deciding to appear before the court before he is asked to do so, the <b>Varun camp seems to have done its calculations well. While it is designed to pre-empt any directive from the court to arrest him, the appearance will also work to the advantage of Varun's candidature by rallying Hindutva sentiments behind him</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj reacting to the new turn of events said to media that <b>the party leadership has given Varun Gandhi the 'green signal' to go ahead and court arrest in Pilibhit. </b>
<b>The question now is, whether Varun will court arrest in Pilibhit and project himself as a 'political martyr'. </b>
Sources said Varun would reach the Pilibhit court on Saturday in what is seen as a shrewd move to play victim and turn the row over his hate speech into an emotional campaign theme.
When contacted, Varun, whose plea to get the FIR registered against him for his purported anti-Muslim remarks was dismissed, refused to confirm the plan.
But that his camp has decided to shift into aggressive gears was evident when Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi stepped out to defend him and launch a scathing attack on Congress. <b>"Congress is behind the conspiracy to defame Varun," Maneka said days after Varun's cousins Priyanka and Rahul disapproved of the remarks attributed to the BJP candidate from Pilibhit. </b>
In deciding to appear before the court before he is asked to do so, the <b>Varun camp seems to have done its calculations well. While it is designed to pre-empt any directive from the court to arrest him, the appearance will also work to the advantage of Varun's candidature by rallying Hindutva sentiments behind him</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->