BJP downplays Varun’s arrest; Cong calls it ‘tamasha’

Congress criticised L K Advani for being 'silent' on the party's candidate from Pilibhit,Varun Gandhi's,hate speeches.

Varun Gandhi’s arrest for the hate speeches he made in Pilibhit saw the BJP downplay the episode while Congress dubbed it as a “tamasha” in which the leader was following the script of party veteran L K Advani.

“The silent Advaniji is completely in tune with what is happening because without his consent this could not have happened. He could have easily stopped it,” Congress spokesman Kapil Sibal said.

“He (Advani) wants this issue to carry on in public eye and continue this tamasha (drama),” he said. BJP leader Kalraj Mishra,who is in Pilibhit,said that he was “observing the situation” in Varun’s pocket borough and also making attempts to ensure that the Model Code of Conduct is not violated.

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“I am only observing the situation… I am also seeing that there should be no violation of the code of conduct,” said Mishra,who is incharge of BJP affairs in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked about Varun courting arrest,BJP spokesman Balbir Punj said that “Varun Gandhi is responding as a political worker who has a public support base to respond”.

Varun surrendered before a court in Pilibhit in connection with a case against him for hate speeches after which he was arrested and sent to judicial remand till Monday.

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