2009 -- India Election -

[Guest]

<b>In a hurry, the other Gandhi</b>
This article is with lot masala.

[Bodhi]

The below speech of UP's former Minister for Education Dr. Masood Ahmed, came more than a week before Varun Gandhi's speech, from the same constituency, Pilibhit.

Any TV Channel cared to cover it? Any election commission official issued notice to him for communalization?

Dainik Jagran reports:

अब तक सभी दलों ने मुस्लिमों को छला : डॉ. मसूद
Mar 06, 01:35 am

पीलीभीत। नेशनल लोक हिन्द पार्टी के अध्यक्ष एवं पूर्व शिक्षा मंत्री डॉ. मसूद अहमद ने मुसलमानों से कहा कि जब तक वे अपना नेता नहीं बनाएंगे, तब तक उनकी उपेक्षा होती रहेगी। उन्होंने सपा, बसपा, भाजपा और कांग्रेस को निशाने पर लेते हुए आरोप लगाया कि सभी ने मुस्लिमों का अहित किया है।

बृहस्पतिवार को शहर के रामस्वरूप पार्क में आयोजित चुनावी सभा में नेलोपा अध्यक्ष ने मुस्लिमों से कहा कि वे अपने अंदर गैरत पैदा करे तभी उन्हें हुकूमत में हिस्सा मिलेगा। उन्होंने कहा का कांग्रेस, सपा और बसपा ने कुछ मोहरे बना रखे है, उन्हीं के सहारे मुस्लिमों के वोट हथिया लेते है। आरोप लगाया कि मायावती दलितों की और मुलायम सिंह यादवों के नेता है। वे सिर्फ वोट के लिए मुस्लिमों से कोरी हमदर्दी जताते है। अगर मुस्लिमों को अधिकार चाहिए तो उन्हे अपना नेता बनाना पड़ेगा, वरना अन्य नेताओं के पिछलग्गू बनकर अपने वोट लुटाते रहोगे। उन्होंने कांग्रेस को सबसे घटिया पार्टी बताते हुए कहा कि इसने मुल्क के तीन टुकड़े करा दिए। देश का मुसलमान इसी की सफाई देने में लगा है कि हम गुनहगार नहीं है। हिन्दू कट्टरवादी फौज के अफसर को पटाकर बम बनवाते है और मुस्लिमों को आईएसआई का एजेंट और मदरसों को आतंकियों के ट्रेनिंग कैम्प बताते है। इस मुद्दे पर कोई नेता मुस्लिमों के साथ खड़ा नहीं दिख रहा।

डॉ. मसूद ने कहा कि इस देश को आजाद हुए साठ साल से अधिक समय हो गया। मुस्लिमों को क्या मिला। न शासन में न प्रशासन में जगह मिली और न ही फौज या पुलिस में उनके बच्चों लिया गया। उन्होंने मुस्लिमों का आह्वान किया कि वे एकजुट होकर नेलोपा प्रत्याशी हफीज अहमद अल्वी को जिताएं। नेलोपा मजबूत हुई तो मुस्लिम वर्ग मजबूत होगा।

http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/local/utta..._5290624_1.html

[Husky]

Sounds like this Feroze Varun Gandhi is only alienating Hindus (me, in any case) and other Dharmics apparently. I mean, what IS this:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The 70-year-old Sikh from Ramnagar village was even asked to leave one of the Hindu meets being addressed by Varun.

"He neither has respect for any other religion nor even for elders. In his arrogance, he has gone to the extent of forgetting that his mother was also a Sikh before her marriage," Gurudial said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->His dad Sanjay Gandhi was islamic, wasn't he (or am I getting the various Goondas mixed up)? <b>ADDED:</b> Well, here is Bodhi referring to Sanjay's islamism, so maybe I didn't get it completely wrong.
And his mother Maneka a Sikh according to the above. Yet Varun obviously thinks Sikhs are not Hindu since he sent this elderly Sikh person packing.
Where does this Varun get his 'Hindu' identity from (if he doesn't think his Sikh mother is a Hindu either on account of her being Sikh)? Or is his 'Hinduness' a 'self-discovery' he has made to help the KKKangress by scaring Hindus off voting BJP (and scaring off other BJP members) through his KKKangressi rhetoric? I mean, with friends like this who needs enemies? The alternative is that he is <i>not</i> friendly.

<b>ADDED:</b> Concerns the above -
<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->some supposed eviction of some sikh person from a rally, for unspecified reason, by unspecified actors, in a story run only by CNN-IBN, only once, in a vague language reminding one of their Gujarat style, and then copied pasted by their cousins, but not taken up by any sober media outlet.[right][snapback]95657[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"Varun nahin yeh aandhi hai, doosra Sanjay Gandhi hai (Varun Gandhi is like a storm, he is another Sanjay Gandhi)".<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Sounds about right.

Also, only KKKangressis, KKKristos and their outlets like NDTV keep misusing Shri Rama's name with threats. E.g. the "Sri Ram Sena" operation they cooked up in Karnataka, KKKristo Danny Boyle with his Slumdog movie, Americans textbooks on some Indian 'song' about Rama mentioning islam <!--emo&:blink:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blink.gif' /><!--endemo--> see below

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/FirstIndologists.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Many have complained that the workbook developed by Susan Wadley depicts Lord Ram as an invading-outsider, imperialist, oppressor, misogynist, and a racist and that the workbook sounds more like the rant of an over zealous racist than that of an “objective” and “neutral” scholar.

[...]
The “song” that the letter refers to is in worksheet 2 of the course material and instructs the students to “Read this song sung by an untouchable in north India.” Some lines from the song have been reproduced below:

<i>“Once the Aryans on their horses invaded this land.
Then we who are the natives became the displaced.
Oh Rama, Oh Rama, You became the God and we the demons.
You portrayed our Hanuman as a monkey,
Oh Rama, you representative of the Aryans.
Muslims were targeted and "taught a lesson".
To destroy Lanka, Oh Rama, you
Formed us into a monkey army.
And today you want us,
The working majority,
To form a new monkey army
And attack Muslims.”</i><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->^ Sounds like more christoterrorist invention along the lines of the christian propaganda that the catholic Danny Boyle spun.

Whereas:
http://www.hinduwisdom.info/aryan_invasion_theory.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->And the great epic Ramayana has a singularly eloquent expression describing Rama as:         

arya sarva samascaiva sadaiva priyadarsanah  - Arya, who worked for the equality of all and was dear to everyone. The Rig Veda also uses the word Arya something like thirty six times, but never to mean a race. The nearest to a definition that one can find in the Rigveda is probably:   

praja arya jyotiragrah ...

Children of Arya are led by light  - Rig Veda VII. 33.17.

Thus, the modern notion of an Aryan-Dravidian racial divide is contradicted by ancient records. We have it on the authority of Manu that the Dravidians were also part of the Aryan fold. Interestingly, so were the Chinese. Race never had anything to do with it until the Europeans adopted the ancient word to give expression to their nationalistic and other aspirations.

Please refer to Naimisha Journal for interesting articles on Aryan Invasion Theory).

Sir Aurobindo (1872-1950) most original philosopher of modern India. He has said: "It distresses us to see Indian inquirers with their great opportunities simply following in the path of certain European scholars, accepting and adding to their unstable fantasies, their huge superstructures founded on weak and scattered evidence and their imaginative "history of our prehistoric ages."

(source: India's Rebirth - Sri Aurobindo  p. 110-111).

The term 'aryan' has never been used in a racial sense anywhere in the vast compendium of Hindu literature. In the whole of the Rig Veda the word arya occurs no more than four times. It stands for whatever is regarded as eminent and ennobling. The term was used in a racial sense for the first time by Western historians who cooked up the theory of an Aryan invasion of India around 1500 B.C. They also popularized in a racial sense, the term Dravidian which had earlier had only a linguistic connotation.

(source: Story of Islamic Imperialism in India - By Sita Ram Goel Voice of India ISBN : 81-85990-23-9  p. 8).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

My question stands. How is Feroze Varun Gandhi a Hindu? What good (things of use) has he done for Hindu Dharma? What <i>actions of benefit</i>.
Because to me, this defamation of Hindus, Hindu Dharma, Gita and Rama (by threatening in their name) seems more like KKKangressiness. Trying to infiltrate and cause ruin rather than anything else. I could be wrong. But I see nothing in Varun's behaviour to make me think otherwise.

Why do Hindus automatically believe that anyone who declares themselves to be a Hindu is a Hindu? Has anyone seen any productive action - one that benefits Hindu Dharma - from Feroze Varun? Or is all this boasting and threatening and slandering of our side the sum total of his achievements?

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In a prime time discussion with Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-IBN on 17th March at 9 pm show veteran journalist and columnist Tarun Vijay said that Varun Gandhi hasn't spoken against any community. Pilibhit is run under a complete Islamic dispensation with the District Magistrate, Additional D.M., Sub Divisional Magistrate- all Muslims posted there. Its represented by three MLAs and all of them are Muslims. In the last couple of months five hundred cows were slaughtered by Muslims and reported to administration through Maneka Gandhi's office. Nothing happened. Kidnappings and rapes of Hindu girls is a matter of  routine.

Its a border area , neighbouring Nepal and hence all sorts of criminal activities goes on. So in this situation Varun Gandhi only tried to infuse some confidence and assure them that they are not alone. Varun only sworn on Gita as a Hindu. Any one, including me would do that. If someone attacks my sister or mother, I would say-I shall not spare the attacker. Varun's missive was against the traitors and anti-national's like Afzal. He was emotional and didnt utter the words that are being attributed to him ie naming any community.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Today, while addressing the media, he said, “I am a Gandhi, a Hindu and an Indian in equal measure,”

He went on to add, “I have not made any communal statement...I want the people to stand by me. It is a malicious attempt to brand me communal. There is no question of my having any ill feeling towards (any) community," he said.

"My attempt is to instill confidence in a community which feels it is under siege in their own country."

Sticking to the saffron party’s roots, the son of late Sanjay Gandhi and BJP leader Maneka Gandhi asserted “I am a proud Hindu...I’m proud of my faith, not apologetic about it,”

Thousands of people from the Hindu community had been arrested under the National Security Act, temples had been vandalised and village pradhans threatened daily, the scion of the estranged Gandhi family said and claimed his effort was "to restore confidence in the community".

Pilibhit, he said, was a sensitive border area and there was the widespread fear that arms had been smuggled in.

Declaring that India was "a big country with a big heart", he said the CD was supposed to have been based on a speech given on March 4 but released on March 16.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Im-a-vi...how/4280751.cms
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi : Under fire from BJP and others for his reported anti-Muslim speeches, an unapologetic Varun Gandhi on Wednesday asserted he was proud of being a Hindu and an Indian and claimed he had not made any communal statement.

Giving no signs of tendering an apology sought by his party, Varun, the 29-year-old BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Pilibhit, said the video footage of his speeches was ‘doctored’ and saw a ‘political conspiracy’ hatched to malign him.

"I am proud of my faith and not apologetic about it. I am a Gandhi, a Hindu and an Indian in the equal measure," he said.

Acting swiftly, the Election Commission had on Tuesday ordered filing of a criminal case against Varun for his alleged inflammatory speech with communal overtones and served notice to the party seeking its explanation.

"I have been a victim of a political conspiracy. Those are not my words and that is not my voice. I have not made any communal statement," Varun, a scion of the estranged Gandhi family, said.

Varun, son of Maneka Gandhi, said the tape has been doctored and it was a ‘malicious attempt’ to brand him communal.

Senior BJP leader Shanawaz Hussain termed Varun's remarks ‘shocking’ and demanded an unconditional apology from him.

Another BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also assailed Varun's remarks saying they are a manifestation of his family's past Congress culture.

Rattled by the controversy, the BJP asked its party candidates to observe caution and restraint in their speeches.

"We do not subscribe to such views," party spokesperson Siddarth Nath Singh said.

In no mood to relent, Varun said, "I am pro India and not anti-anybody. I want to ask the nation to stand by me."

He went on to add ‘my attempt has been to restore confidence in a community that has been under siege in its own country.’

He said the video footage has been ‘doctored’. It has been a malicious attempt to brand me as communal. There is no question of my having any ill feeling towards any community," he said.

At a recent election meeting in Pilibhit from where he is making his electoral debut, Varun had reportedly said, "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."

He had also said if anyone raises a hand against Hindus and if they thought Hindus were weak and leaderless, he would cut his hand. Gandhi, however, claimed that the video footage of his speeches was tampered with.

Varun also wondered why the CD was made public after a gap of 12 days on March 16 whereas he made the speech on March 5.

In Patna, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar termed Varun's Pilibhit speech as condemnable.

"I have not seen the TV footage (of Varun's speech), but from what I have come to know, his statement hurt the sensibilities of a section of the society. Anything that is said during an election or otherwise that hurts the sentiments of any community is condemnable," Kumar said when his comments was sought on the matter.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story_print...yid=436057
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Yeh panja nahi hai, yeh kamal ka haath hai. Yeh kat** ke galey ko kaat dega chunaav ke baad. Jai Shri Ram! Ram ji ki jai! Varun Gandhi kaat daalega! Kaat denge us haath ko, kaat denge, kaat daalega!

[This is not the (Congress symbol) ‘hand’, this is the hand of the ‘lotus’. It will cut the throat of the (derogatory reference to a Muslim) after the elections... Varun Gandhi will cut... Cut that hand, cut it, cut it.]



Apne jao, apne gaon mein jao aur halla karo ki saara Hindu ek tarfa ho jao, chhetra ko Pakistan hone se bachao, aur saara Hindu ek tarfa ho jao!

[Go to your villages and give the call that all Hindus must unite to save this area from becoming Pakistan…]




Kya yeh sach nahin hai… ki usko bola gaya ki mataji aapka naam kya hai... agar usne bola ki Bimla Devi, to usko kahaa ki dekhenge, sochenge... pehle paanch hazaar rupaye do... aur agar uska naam hai Saira Bano ya jo bhi Begum Hukum Begum... hum to jaante nahin hain... badey daraawne naam hotey hain inke... Karimullah... Mazharullah.... agar raat ko kabhi dikh jaayen... to darr rahen hain...

[Is it not true... that if (a woman) is asked her name and she says Bimla Devi, she is told we’ll see, we’ll think (about giving Government aid), give us Rs 5,000 first... But if her name is Saira Bano or whatever begum Hukum Begum... I don’t even know... These people have such scary-sounding names... Karimullah, Mazharullah... If you ever encountered them at night, you’d be scared...]



Meri ek behan hai... to ek pamphlet chhapa tha jisme saare pratiyashiyon ka picture likha hua hai... toh meri behan... us bitiya ne kaha... Bhaiya mujhe nahi pata tha ki aapke chhetra mein Osama bin Laden chunaav lad rahein hain... Maine kaha beta Osama bin Laden ko to America pakad nahi liya lekin Varun Gandhi ke to pakad mein bahut aane waale hain chunaav ke baad!

[I have a sister… there was a pamphlet with pictures of all the candidates… so this child told me, ‘I didn’t know that Osama bin Laden is contesting from your area.’ I told her, ‘America couldn’t get Osama, but Varun Gandhi is going to get a lot of people after the elections.’]



Jo aadmi thappad aapko maare, aapko kya karna chahiye? Doosra gaal aage kar dena chahiye… Usse bewakoofi ki baat maine suni nahi hai aaj tak. Agar koi aadmi aapko thappad maare, to saale ka haath kat do ki kisi ko phir thappad nahi maar paaye baad mein.

[If someone slaps you, what do you do? (They say) turn the other cheek ... I haven’t heard a stupider thing. If someone slaps you, you should cut off (expletive) his hand, so he can never slap anyone later.]



...Agar kisi ne, kisi galat tatv ke aadmi ne, kisi Hindu pe haath uthaya...to main Gita ki kasam khake kehta hun ki main us haath ko kaat daalunga!

[If any wrong element, raises his hand on a Hindu...I swear on the Gita that I will cut off that hand!]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/badey-da...-var.../435950/
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Husky]

^ Last not 2, but <b>3</b> important posts by Bodhi.


<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->He went on to add, “I have not made any communal statement...I want the people to stand by me. It is a malicious attempt to brand me communal. There is no question of my having any ill feeling towards (any) community," he said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Varun's missive was against the traitors and anti-national's like Afzal. He was emotional and didnt utter the words that are being attributed to him ie naming any community.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->1. <b>Edited</b> to remove the question answered in Bodhi's last post above. ("What <i>did</i> he say".)

One more thing I need to know to make me feel less suspicious:
2. What about the old Sikh person who alleged that Feroze Varun Gandhi drove him away? Is that just more of christomedia's fictions or is there truth to that or has it been spun out of context, or was it a paid Khalistani told to mouth those lines for TV or ... what?
<b>ADDED:</b> Concerns the green bit above -
<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->some supposed eviction of some sikh person from a rally, for unspecified reason, by unspecified actors, in a story run only by CNN-IBN, only once, in a vague language reminding one of their Gujarat style, and then copied pasted by their cousins, but not taken up by any sober media outlet.[right][snapback]95657[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->. In the last couple of months five hundred cows were slaughtered by Muslims and reported to administration through Maneka Gandhi's office. Nothing happened. Kidnappings and rapes of Hindu girls is a matter of  routine.
... Varun only sworn on Gita as a Hindu. Any one, including me would do that. If someone attacks my sister or mother, I would say-I shall not spare the attacker.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Different from me. Instead of making elaborate promises, I'd do my utmost to <i>get</i> the perps first. Making declarations is not what comes to mind.

<b>ADDED Mar 18 2009, 03:30 PM:</b>
Hmmm. The content of the previous post is more promising. Good. Waiting to see what comes of it (hard laws against islamania, reconversion efforts, army called in to beat off the terrorists, training Hindus to fight off the terrorists).

[Husky]

^ Bodhi's posts 24-27.

How can Hindus <i>know</i> for sure that this Varun Gandhi is for real? His words in in post 26 are a step up from the eternal psecularism mantra, that's something. But then it does not tally with the following
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Va...-charge/435702/
"Varun says tape doctored, denies charge" (from Mudy's post in another thread)
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Gandhi (29), the BJP cadidate from Pilbhit for the Lok Sabha polls, said he was strongly committed to the ideals of secularism.

"I strongly refute the charge of making any communal or divisive statements as part of my election campaign. In this climate of terrorism, I have spoken only about standing firm against the anti-national and anti-social forces that threaten this nation," Gandhi said in a statement.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Is he merely saying what everyone wants to hear in order to get elected - that is, political doublespeak? How can anyone tell that he is not simply giving false confidence to terrorised Hindus in order to get votes, and then proclaiming secularism to the rest? <i>If</i> those were his words and he were sincere why would he need to deny his statements and loudly swear allegiance to secularism? How can Hindus trust him if he says one thing to them and another thing to others? Which does he really mean.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"I unequivocally state that that (the speech CD) is neither my voice nor my language. The tape in question appears to have been doctored," Gandhi claimed.

"These are purportedly two weeks old. None of what I have actually said was either intended or taken to be communal which is testified to by the fact that this intervening period there has been no communal tension or untoward incident," he said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There's too many words on Hindus' side (or rather, attributed there). And too little tangible achievement. Demoralising.


<b>ADDED:</b> Completer information -
<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Like when you repeat that he has <b>disowned his statements, which he has obviousely not - he has only said that these are not the original words of his, and there are things added and deleted to what he said.</b>  I can imagine you did not see the videos posted by Dhu and especially the one (with Dipak Chaurasia) by me where <b>he repeated yesterday that he stands by what he said about protecting Hindus, but has not said any derogatory thing against moslems.</b>[right][snapback]95657[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->How can Hindus know for sure that this Varun Gandhi is for real? <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The episode does not call for a judgement of Varun Gandhi's credentials, nor has sufficient data to do so. Mere speeches dont make for enough ground of assessing anyone, especially a single case. One has to wait and watch for his commitment over time. His motivation of course seems to be to create a contituency for himself, and emerge as someone in a leaderless and listless UP BJP. Might have taken cue from Raj Thackeray in this.

One must say however that Maneka Gandhi is surely psec enough. Notice her comments on Gujarat issue. She also did not come forward on rAma setu issue, despite this offering her a classical case for taking up environmental and animal rights issues which she often does. I myself had approached her without success. But that does not reflect anything on VG.

Besides, by judging him through stretched blames like his being born from a musalman grandfather and father, a matter in which he had no choice (unlike others who happily send their daughters to moslems), is not only unfair but may also reflect paranoia of some kind.

The episode is not about judging VG, and that would be juvenile thing to do, but it is really about analyzing reactions it has generated within different quarters, especially within BJP.

[Husky]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Mar 18 2009, 04:51 PM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Mar 18 2009, 04:51 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Besides, <b>by judging him through stretched blames like his being born from a musalman grandfather and father</b>, a matter in which he had no choice (unlike others who happily send their daughters to moslems), is not only unfair but may also reflect paranoia of some kind.[right][snapback]95599[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Sure it would be unfair. Fortunately, whoever said/implied that wasn't me. What I wrote was entirely different (repeated below). I wondered why he was chasing away an old Sikh person from his Hindu meeting when his mum is apparently a Sikh. And going by his exclusion of the Sikh person - apparently for not being Hindu enough for him - if VGandhi didn't get his Hindu ID from his mum, then where did he get it from since his dad appears to be islamic? Wherefrom this identification (that is, is it election-time opportunism)? And why at the expense of Sikhs?

<!--QuoteBegin-Husky+Mar 18 2009, 01:21 PM-->QUOTE(Husky @ Mar 18 2009, 01:21 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Sounds like this Feroze Varun Gandhi is only alienating Hindus (me, in any case) and other Dharmics apparently. I mean, what IS this:
<!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The 70-year-old Sikh from Ramnagar village was even asked to leave one of the Hindu meets being addressed by Varun.

"He neither has respect for any other religion nor even for elders. In his arrogance, he has gone to the extent of forgetting that his mother was also a Sikh before her marriage," Gurudial said.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->His dad Sanjay Gandhi was islamic, wasn't he (or am I getting the various Goondas mixed up)? <b>ADDED:</b> Well, here is Bodhi referring to Sanjay's islamism, so maybe I didn't get it completely wrong.
And his mother Maneka a Sikh according to the above. Yet Varun obviously thinks Sikhs are not Hindu since he sent this elderly Sikh person packing.
Where does this Varun get his 'Hindu' identity from (if he doesn't think his Sikh mother is a Hindu either on account of her being Sikh)? Or is his 'Hinduness' a 'self-discovery' he has made to help the KKKangress by scaring Hindus off voting BJP (and scaring off other BJP members) through his KKKangressi rhetoric?[right][snapback]95590[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--><b>ADDED:</b> Concerns the questionable nature of the above allegation -
<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Mar 20 2009, 05:58 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->some supposed eviction of some sikh person from a rally, for unspecified reason, by unspecified actors, in a story run only by CNN-IBN, only once, in a vague language reminding one of their Gujarat style, and then copied pasted by their cousins, but not taken up by any sober media outlet.[right][snapback]95657[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The episode is not about judging VG, and that would be juvenile thing to do, but it is really about analyzing reactions it has generated within different quarters, especially within BJP.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Also a good time to analyse whether he's just another kkkangress plant meant to drive a wedge into and split the BJP votebank. And to look at how big the media blows this up. Maybe they just want to give lots of exposure to VG for a reason? Media always attempts to manipulate Hindu responses. Especially at election time. And Congress machinations are also enlarged at election time.

[Guest]

Bodhiji is right. Reactions have to be noted. While Shiv Sena and Commies are on predictable lines, regional parties, INC and BJP reactions are to be watched.

BTW what is the security cover for Varun ? Does he also get same cover as his cousins ?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/...how/4279062.cms

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Interestingly, Varun's sudden metamorphosis from a political greenhorn to a poster boy of hard Hindutva has sent his ratings soaring in the saffron camp. That <b>he has come of age was the consensus among the party satraps</b> who are now more than willing to see him as the most promising young face in election 2009. The incident has also <b>resulted into a spurt of feverish activity in the Congress party as well.</b> The party big wig realised the great opening Varun bashing offered to prove their loyalty to the first family. This, sources said,<b> could account for Digvijay Singh, UP state unit in charge, himself leading the delegation to lodge a complaint with the CEC. </b>

Meanwhile, chief minister <b>Mayawati has also slammed Varun Gandhi for his objectionable remarks.</b> <b>Political observers find the silence of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who declined to comment on the issue, a little intriguing. </b>But the incident, all agree, has spiced up the lacklustre pre-poll scene in UP.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


http://election.rediff.com/report/2009/mar...ainst-varun.htm

Kapil Sibal plays it safe.

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Union Minister Kapil Sibal </b>said that when cognisance has been taken by the Election Commission that a prima facie offence has been committed, whether Varun denies it or not is not relevant.

"<b>The leadership of the BJP will take action because if they don't, then it will be seen that they are the co-conspirators in this," he said.</b> Alleging that the speech was aimed at polarising votes, Sibal said, "I am not concerned with the nature and quality of the speech. It is abhorrent, it is contrary to the basic foundations of our secular democracy".<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Manish Tiwari plays it safe.

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"<b>I don't think people of the country are going to be taken in by whatever the young Varun Gandhi would have to say because the whole country is aware that it is the BJP which practices hate politics</b>," party spokesman Manish Tewari said. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/old-hors...dhi-cub/435869/

Title of article

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Old horses run to guard Gandhi cub<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The only exceptions were BJP candidate from Lucknow Lalji Tandon and party general secretary Vinay Katiyar, both of whom disapproved of the young Gandhi’s conduct.
..
State BJP president Ramapati Ram Tripathi said Varun might have been misunderstood.

...

Senior leader Kalraj Mishra also tried to explain away the episode saying “Varun is a young candidate, full of enthusiasm” and he might have said things in passing.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

http://www.ptinews.com/pti\ptisite.ns...3E?OpenDocument

Mulayam and Amar Singh

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Shortly after Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav dismissed the controversy surrounding BJP candidate Varun Gandhi's alleged hate speech, party general secretary Amar Singh said such comments were expected of a saffron leader.
"There is nothing new in the statement. BJP leaders had been using such words in the past too," Singh told reporters here.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->BJP disassociates itself from Varun Gandhi's reported anti-Muslim speech

New Delhi, Mar.18 (PTI) BJP today disassociated itself from the reported anti-Muslim speech of Varun Gandhi but stopped short of taking action against him, saying the matter was before the Election Commission.

"BJP disassociates and dissapproves the contents of the speech and the comments attributed to Varun Gandhi. We have not received any notice from the Election commission on the issue," party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here today.

Asked whether the party will take action against Varun, Prasad said "the matter is before the Election Commission and we will wait for its view.

BJP sources said Varun was denied permission to hold a press conference at the party office after which he decided to address the electronic media at the residence of his mother and BJP MP, Maneka Gandhi.

http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0...94?OpenDocument
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->BJP distances itself from Varun
Wednesday, 18 March , 2009, 16:38

New Delhi: Caught in a bind over the incendiary hate Muslim speeches by its Pilibhit candidate Varun Gandhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday distanced itself from the controversy and said it would wait for the Election Commission's view before initiating action against him.

"The BJP disapproves and dissociates itself from the statements attributed to Mr Varun Gandhi," said party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

"The BJP distances itself," he said at a press conference here, pointing out that Varun Gandhi had himself raised questions on the authenticity of the CD showing him making inflammatory statements.

Prasad also parried questions about action against him, saying Varun Gandhi would reply to the Election Commission and then "we shall see."

BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi added in a similar vein: "A complaint has been made to the Election Commission; the ball is in its court, so let us wait for its view."

An unapologetic Varun Gandhi had earlier in the day stated that he was a proud Hindu and that the CD showing him making the inflammatory speeches was doctored.

Naqvi said: "After Varun's clarification today, nobody should play a political game over this sensitive issue since it will harm the country's unity, harmony and brotherhood."

When told that there was no remorse in Varun Gandhi's clarification, he said nobody should "act as super Election Commission or super courts."

Sections of the party, including Shahnawaz Hussain, had Tuesday called for an apology from Varun Gandhi, following wide publicity to his campaign speeches in Pilibhit in which he has allegedly said he would cut the hands of those who attack a Hindu and that Hindus should be on one side while the rest should be sent to Pakistan.

Party insiders said several party leaders were upset and advocating action against him for the "big embarrassment" he had caused.

The party is learnt to have asked the 29-year-old Varun Gandhi to avoid making any public statements.

"Besides, even if the remarks against Muslim was an election strategy, it no longer works," a senior leader confided.

Key alliance partner Janata Dal-United (JD-U) was in agreement.

Reacting to Gandhi's hate speeches, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: "We should respect every community. Either in the elections or even normally one should avoid from saying such things."

"It should be condemned," the JD-U leader added.

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14...vsv=TopHP1
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->BJP is a baniya party. [no offence to the caste but the shopkeeper's mentality] They want their share of 5% Muslim vote. They feel the hardliner will vote for them anyway but dont want to lose the additional 5% vote. During the anti-reservation movement they supported the government for fear of losing 5% elite OBC vote. Their rationale was the anti-reservationists will vote them anyway!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->URL:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/163347/Varun-s...conspiracy.html

Varun alleged that in Pilibhit, Hindus are living under "fear" and
"three temples have been vandalised in the block in which I have
supposed to have given the speech."

"Pilibhit is a sensitive border area. There is widespread fear, arms are
being smuggled into ghettos to be used against India," he said.

Varun said "when things are seen out of context, there is always the
danger of misunderstanding.

"India is a big country with a big heart. There is room in it for all to
live in peace and goodwill. That is my sincere hope and effort."

He alleged there have been attempts to brand as communal anybody
"identifying with the Hindu community", and maintained that he has not
done anything to "incite hatred".

Varun also claimed that "cow slaughter remains" have been found in
various houses in his constituencies and no action has been taken
against it.

Accusing the authorities of giving a raw deal to the Hindus, he said
"thousands and thousands of people from Hindu community have been under
arrest under the National Security Act."


Varun said he has been attempting to restore confidence in a community
that has been "under siege" and asked the nation to stand by him.

"My attempt has been to restore confidence in a community that has been
under siege in its own country," he said, adding "I want to ask the
nation to stand by me."
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Mar 18 2009, 10:50 AM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Mar 18 2009, 10:50 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->...
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think BJP is distancing itself for the reason EC with its congress agents may be baying at BJP to own his comments so EC can expand their case to party.

Disown comments and move on. It also leaves VG to become more rabid. If EC goes after him it is good for BJP. EC only has power to make charges it will be long story to actually prove him guilty. By the time if BJP comes to power they can purge EC.

[Bodhi]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->BJP speaks in two voices on Varun
Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The reported communal remarks by Varun Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate from Pilibhit and son of Maneka Gandhi, at several rallies in his constituency were strongly criticised by the party’s two Muslim faces – Shahnawaz Hussain and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi – but some other leaders preferred to say that they had not heard the speech, which was was telecast by several channels.

Mr. Hussain said he had conveyed his strong protest to the senior party leadership, including party president Rajnath Singh and its prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani.

A few leaders in the party admitted that this, added to the fact that so far the BJP has cleared only two Muslim candidates, <b>would certainly push back Mr. Advani’s attempt to present the BJP as the “true secular party”</b> with others like the Congress and the Left being “pseudo secular.”

He said: “<b>I heard the shocking speech on television and never in my years of association with the BJP, have I ever heard any party leader using such foul abusive language against any community. Moreover, it was shocking that he indirectly also abused Mahatma Gandhi,” Mr. Hussain said. “I trust my party leadership will look at the issue sternly.</b>”

<b>Mr. Naqvi did not deny that Mr. Gandhi used unacceptable language against Muslims, but said that this was because of his past “Congress culture,” although
he was not able to say when Mr. Varun Gandhi was with the Congress, for he has been with the BJP well before he reached the age of contesting the Lok Sabha polls.</b>

Party leader <b>Venkaiah Naidu, however, was more inclined to believe what Mr. Gandhi himself said later – that he had not said anything communal and the “tapes” with the television channels were “doctored” and “fraudulent.” The party would first have to find out what exactly Mr. Gandhi said.</b>

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/18/stories/...091000.htm
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bodhi]

Non-partisan BJP Cheerleader's blog:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->It should not baffle anyone that Varun Gandhi should play the victimhood card in an election, after all playing victim has been the trademark of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty in soliciting votes starting with Indira Gandhi’s victimhood to Sonia Gandhi’s second sacrifice.

That the BJP should continue to indulge this other Gandhi family at the expense of negative press is baffling.

It is however heartening to note that both Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain have been fielded to disown Varun Gandhi’s remarks.

Mr. Advani should make a strong statement on this issue and put this controversy to rest so his spokespersons have other things to talk about to the Delhi based media and can be spared the embarassment of having to explain a Nehru-Gandhi’s victimhood.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[ravish]

The latest-- perhaps the most wise decision of the BJP

Quote
BJP drops Varun from list of party campaigners
New Delhi (PTI): In an apparent bid to keep itself away from further controversy arising out of the anti-Muslim remarks of Varun Gandhi, the BJP has dropped him from the official list of party campaigners for the Lok Sabha polls.

Mr. Gandhi was originally among the list of 40 party leaders which the BJP had decided to submit to the Election Commission a day after the first notification for the polls come out on 23 March.

"The official list of campaigners will be of official speakers of the party. The move (of removing Varun Gandhi's name) is an effort towards not having any further controversies while we need to concentrate on the polls," a top party leader, in charge of the campaign, said.

The recent change in rules introduced by the EC makes the party responsible along with the leader for any violation of the model code of conduct, the leader said. Mr. Gandhi's name also does not figure in the list of leaders for whom the party on Thursday demanded extra security cover during their campaign
Unquote

[Bodhi]

Seen on TimesNow:

Journo: you made derogatory remarks against Muslims...

VG: I did not.

Journo: Did you not use word Katuwa?

VG: Yes, I used the word Katuwa. Means who cuts. It is a well known word. I referred to dummy candidates the opposition fields to divide the Hindu votes. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> I said vote-katuwa, but they have doctored the video to remove 'vote', and presented only katuwa. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Bodhi]

Then BJP governments should also ban the book shivarAja-bhUShaNa. bhUShaNa makes even more stern and 'derogatory' remarks agains moslems.

[Bodhi]

Varun Gandhi with Deepak Chaurasia (Hindi)