EC wants BJP to drop Varun; BJP says no way!

The BJP, which was eager to disown, disprove of and disassociate with Varun Gandhi's comments (“The BJP completely disowns and dissociates itself from the statements attributed to Varun Gandhi,” BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad told newspersons) seems to have gathered courage and has at last decided to stand by him.

But first the Election Commission of India's stunning March 22 order after serving notice to the BJP and Varun Gandhi:

No. 464/UP-HP/2009 Dated : 22nd March, 2009.
In re : Notice to Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata
Party for violation of the Model Code of Conduct on his
offensive speeches on 7th and 8th March, 2009 in Pilibhit
District, Uttar Pradesh.
Order
Two incidents of speeches given by Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi,
a member of the Bhartiya Janta Party, and who, as per media reports, is a
likely candidate for the current general election to the Lok Sabha, from
Pilibhit Parliamentary Constituency in Uttar Pradesh, at two public meetings
in Mohalla Dalchand, Kotwali Pilibhit and at Kasba Barkheda on 7th March,
2009 and 08.03.2009, respectively, were brought to the notice of the
Commission on 17.03.2009, by the District Election Officer, Pilibhit. A
copy of a communication dated 09.03.2009 sent by the Police
Superintendent to the District Election Officer, Pilibhit, containing reference
to the aforesaid speeches and a video CD containing the recording of the
speeches were also furnished to the Commission.
2. The Commission went through the reports and viewed the video
CD of the two speeches. The two speeches contained highly derogatory
references and seriously provocative language of a wholly unacceptable
nature against a certain community. The Commission considered the
speeches as a grave violation of the provisions of clauses (1) and (3) of
Item 1 (General Conduct) of the Model Code of Conduct, apart from
amounting to promoting feelings of enmity and hatred between different
classes on the ground of religion, outraging the religious feeling of a
particular community, and promoting hatred and ill-will between two classes
of citizens and provoking a section of the citizens to indulge in violence.
3. The Commission, taking suo motu cognizance of the incidents,
on 18.03.2009, issued a notice to Shri Varun Gandhi, asking him to furnish
his reply in the matter by 20.03.09. Simultaneously, notices were also issued
to the Bharatiya Janata Party, both at the central level as well as at the State
level, asking the Party to submit its reply. The Commission also directed the
Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh, to file criminal cases against Shri
Varun Gandhi under the provisions of Sections 153A (promoting enmity
between different groups on grounds of religion), Section 295A (deliberate
and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class of
Indian citizens by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), Section 505 (2)
(statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes)
and under Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act,
1951(promoting enmity between classes in connection with elections).
4. In reply to the Commission’s notice, the Bharatiya Janata Party,
submitted that the party was not aware of the speeches made by Shri Varun
Gandhi, and that the party completely disagrees, disassociates, and
disapproves the contents of the CD and that these do not represent the views
of the party. The party also added that it had already disapproved and
disassociated from the contents (of the speeches) even before the notice from
the Commission. They further submitted that the party stands by the Model
Code of Conduct in its entirety, and that the party is independently looking
into the matter. The Uttar Pradesh state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party
submitted a reply stating that the state unit adopts the reply given by the
Central Office of the Party.
5. Shri Varun Gandhi, in his reply submitted on 20.03.2009, stated
as follows:-
• He may be given access to the report of the DEO and the
material on the basis of which the report was prepared and the
name and details of the complainant, the number of persons and
institutions who handled the CD before it reached the
Commission, and those who allegedly photographed the event.
• Alleged speeches were made on 7th & 8th March, 09 but the
controversy erupted 10 days later on the basis of some private
unofficial tape, which could have been put together for private
and political motives.
• What is happening appears to be a trial by the media to provide
a platform for political opponents and others to create an
atmosphere of hostility against him. It seemed that political
opponents provided the tapes to the media and for public
circulation. The entire initiative was politically tainted,
technically deficient and manipulated.
• Given the time in and during which the undisclosed report of
the incident was received by the Commission it was not
possible that there was due application of mind after examining
all the materials.
• Any notice issued to him, inter alia affects his rights under
Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, thereby
requiring rigorous scrutiny.
• The CD received by the Commission is not the original one but
is allegedly an edited copy of the original. Without having
access to the original unedited recording of the speeches in their
entirely, the CD cannot be relied upon for any action against
him.
• He firmly believes in all constitutional values and respect for all
religions and fully subscribes to the law of the land.
Shri Varun Gandhi submitted that all allegations in the notice dated
18.03.2009, which are wholly unsubstantiated, are denied. However, he has
neither specifically accepted nor rejected the contents of the speeches and
the inflammatory and derogatory tone, tenor and language used in the two
speeches.
6. The Commission has carefully perused and duly examined the
explanation furnished by Shri Varun Gandhi (hereinafter, for short, the
respondent). The Commission is not at all convinced with the explanation
which the respondent has tried to take recourse to for wriggling out of the
situation which he has created by making the inflammatory and highly
derogatory speeches. The main plank of his defence is that the CD
containing the recording of his impugned speeches is morphed and doctored
so as to politically malign him. The Commission is far from convinced with
such bald assertions. He has not denied anywhere in his explanation that he
held the meetings covered and recorded in the CD and that he addressed the
audience at those meetings and made speeches thereat. The Commission has
seen the CD, not once but several times repeatedly, and is fully convinced
and satisfied that the CD has not been tampered with, doctored or morphed,
as alleged by the respondent. The copy of the CD in question was duly
furnished to him with the Commission’s notice and the onus lay on him to
prove his allegation that the CD is not genuine or authentic as is alleged by
him.
7. In regard to the stand taken by respondent that he should be
shown the complaint received by the Commission and furnished with the
information as to how and through whom the CD reached the Commission,
the Commission would like to clarify that the Commission took suo motu
notice of the impugned speeches of the respondent which were also widely
shown on several national TV channels. It is immaterial to know the source
from which the CD reached the Commission or has been obtained by it.
What is material and relevant are the contents of the impugned speeches
made by him and as recorded in the said CD. The said CD is only a piece of
evidence to prove that he made those speeches. As already observed above,
the respondent has not denied having held the meetings under reference and
made speeches thereat. Nor has he shown or even indicated as to which
portions of his impugned speeches were morphed, doctored, manipulated or
interpolated. He was asked to explain his position with regard to the
genuineness or authenticity of the offensive statements made by him in his
speeches and not with regard to the genuineness or authenticity of the CD.
8. The respondent’s next explanation is that the CD in question
surfaced after a gap of about ten days after his meetings held on 7th and 8th
March, 2009. This explanation too cuts no ice. Any delay in the surfacing
of the CD does not lessen the gravity of the offensive statements made by
him. Also, the late surfacing of the CD does not by itself lead to any
conclusion that the CD was morphed or doctored meanwhile, unless proved
otherwise by the respondent to the satisfaction of the Commission.
9. The Commission also sees no force in his contention that he is
being tried by the media because exposure by media does not amount to trial
by media. The Commission, in fact, viewed a more comprehensive CD, a
copy of which was given to the respondent, than what was shown on some
of the electronic media. The Commission monitors all inputs, including
media reports, and whenever it observes any serious violation of the Model
Code of Conduct or commission of any electoral offences being indulged in
by any party or a person, the Commission is obliged under the Constitution
to take note of such violations and to initiate and take appropriate actions to
bring such violators of the Model Code of Conduct and electoral laws to
book.
10. Now coming to the offensive statements made by the
respondent in his impugned speeches, the Commission deliberately does not
intend to repeat or quote here those offensive portions of his impugned
speeches. The same have been seen very widely on the electronic media and
read equally widely in the print media right across the whole country, which
have stirred the nation’s conscience and aroused nation wide condemnation.
11. In this context, the Commission would like to remind the
respondent of the sane advice given by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in
Ziauddin Burhanuddin Bukhari v Brijmohan Ramdass Mehra (AIR 1975 SC
1788) that:
“Our Constitution makers certainly intended to set up a Secular
Democratic Republic the binding spirit of which is summed up by the
objectives set forth in the preamble to the Constitution. No democratic
political and social order, in which the conditions of freedom and their
progressive expansion for all make some regulation of all activities
imperative, could endure without an agreement on the basic essentials
which could unite and hold citizens together despite all the differences
of religion, race, caste, community, culture, creed, and language. Our
political history made it particularly necessary that these differences,
which can generate powerful emotions, depriving people of their
powers of rational thought and action, should not be permitted to be
exploited lest the imperative conditions for the preservation of
democratic freedoms are disturbed.
…….. Due respect for the religious beliefs and practices, race, creed,
culture, and language of other citizens is one of the basic postulates of
our democratic system. Under the guise of protecting your own
religion, culture, or creed you cannot embark on personal attacks on
those of others or whip up low herd instincts and animosities or
irrational fears between groups to secure electoral victories.”
12. The Hon’ble Supreme Court had further observed in Abdul
Hussain Mir Vs. Shamsul Huda (AIR 1975 SC 1612) that ‘religious appeal
or communal appetite is stronger in a bigoted and backward population than
in an enlightened or indifferent or other area with a long tradition of peaceful
co-existence of variegated religious groups or cosmopolitan people. It all
depends on the socio-political pathology or sensibility of each province or
constituency.’ It is well known that the area in which the impugned
speeches were made by the respondent is highly communally sensitive and
surcharged with religious tensions.
13. Again, in the case of Dr. Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo Vs.
Prabhakar Kashinath Kunte and Others [(1996) 1 SCC 130], the Hon’ble
Supreme Court held that the speeches made by Shri Bal Thackeray, wherein
he appealed to the voters belonging to his religion to vote for the candidate
of his party because he also belonged to the same religion and wherein he
also made some derogatory references to the members of another
community, were highly offensive and amounted to promoting or attempting
to promote feelings of enmity and hatred between different classes of
citizens on the ground of religion and were of very serious and grave nature.
14. While tendering its opinion to the Hon’ble President of India
under section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in the above
referred case of Dr. Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo on the question as to
whether Shri Prabhoo should be disqualified and, if so, for what period, the
Commission observed in its opinion dated 15th October, 1997 that :
“There cannot be two opinions that such pernicious practices which
are highly dangerous and can threaten the very survival of democracy
must be viewed with utmost concern and put down with a heavy hand
without any leniency. Persons indulging in such nefarious practices
must be visited with the severest penalty permissible under the law, as
any leniency shown to them would mean compromising with those
corrupt practices which sully the purity of elections.”
The same view was reiterated by the Commission in its opinion dated 22nd
September, 1998, to the Hon’ble President of India in the case of Shri Bal
Thackeray and both Dr. Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo and Shri Bal Thackeray
were disqualified for the period of six years, i.e., the maximum period for
which they could be disqualified by the President under the said section 8A
of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
15. The above sane advice of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the
above referred cases of Ziauddin Burhanuddin Bukhari and Abdul Hussain
Mir (supra) has obviously been thrown to the winds and the impugned
speeches by the respondent have been made by him in utter disregard of the
same and in blatant violation of the provisions and spirit of the Model Code
of Conduct and the law on the subject. The Commission would also like to
reiterate its above quoted observations in its opinion dated 15th October,
1997 and 22nd December, 1998 in the cases of Dr. Ramesh Yeshwant
Prabhoo and Shri Bal Thackeray (supra) and to emphatically state that the
impugned speeches of the respondent are also highly dangerous, threatening
the very survival of democracy and the communal harmony – the basic
tenets enshrined in the Constitution of India – and deserve to be condemned
in the severest terms.
16. In the considered opinion of the Commission, the respondent
does not deserve to be a candidate at the present general elections since
every candidate must solemnly make and subscribe an oath under the
Constitution that he will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution
and that he will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India. However, the
Commission is conscious of its limitations under the law, as it stands at
present, that it cannot impose such disqualification on the respondent and
debar him from contesting elections unless he is convicted or held guilty by
a competent court of law in an appropriate legal proceeding. In the
circumstances, the Commission strongly condemns and censures the
respondent, Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi.
17. Here, it is pertinent to add that, on the initiative of the
Commission, two criminal cases have already been registered against
Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi, under sections 153A, 295A and 505(2) of the
Indian Penal Code and section 125 of the Representation of the People
Act, 1951, in the concerned Police Stations – Kotwali Police Station,
Pilibhit, and Police Station of Kasba Barkheda, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. The
Commission hereby directs the State Government authorities concerned
of Uttar Pradesh to expeditiously investigate the matter with utmost
alacrity and the speed with which this matter deserves to be dealt with
at all levels. The Commission would be keeping a close watch on the
progress in the investigation and would also be taking all legally permissible
steps for the expeditious trial of the matter till it reaches its logical
conclusion. It is pertinent to add here that the Commission has directed the
Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh to keep a close track of all
programmes of Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi, and whenever and wherever
public meetings and rallies involving his speeches are held a proper a
continuous video tracking would be done and the cameraman for such video
tracking would be accompanied by a Magistrate to ensure proper video
coverage.
18. As regards the notice to Bharatiya Janata Party, as already
observed in para 4 above, the party in its reply has stated that the party was
not aware of the speeches made by Shri Varun Gandhi, and that the party
completely disagrees, disassociates, and disapproves the contents of the CD
and that these do not represent the views of the party. The party also added
that it had already disapproved and disassociated from the contents (of the
speeches) even before the notice from the Commission. The party further
submitted that the party stands by the Model Code of Conduct in its entirety,
and that the party is independently looking into the matter. In view of the
above stand of the party, the Commission expects that the least that the party
must do is to deny the party nomination to Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi as its
candidate at the present general election to the Lok Sabha. This will be fully
in keeping with the assertion of the party that it completely disagrees,
disassociates, and disapproves the views of Shri Feroze Varun Gandhi and
that the party stands by the Model Code of Conduct in its entirety. Any
sponsorship of his candidature by the Bharatiya Janata Party, or any other
Political Party at this election would be perceived as endorsing his
unpardonable acts of inciting violence and creating feelings of enmity and
hatred between different classes of citizens of India, destroying the social,
democratic and plural fabric of the country, as enshrined in the Constitution
of India which all the political parties have undertaken to uphold, at the time
of their registration with the Election Commission under section 29A of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951.
(S.Y. Quraishi) (N. Gopalaswami) (Navin B. Chawla)
Election Commissioner Chief Election Commissioner Election Commissioner

Here's Varun Gandhi's response, as reproted by PTI:

EC action pressurised by political considerations: Varun

PTI New Delhi
A defiant Varun Gandhi today hit back at the Election Commission for asking BJP not to nominate him for the Lok Sabha polls, and accused the panel of taking "hasty" and "harsh" action "pressurised by political considerations".The BJP candidate from Pilibhit said the EC action was in "utter disregard of the principles of natural justice" as it had passed the censure "without any attempt to ascertain the truth".Making it clear that he would not withdraw from the polls, 29-year-old Varun said, "I believe my real court of appeal lies with the people."Varun, who is contesting Lok Sabha elections for the first time, also said, "The EC's eagerness to exercise its 'recommendatory jurisdiction' begins and ends with my case alone. This itself, coupled with the haste with which the EC has acted, leaves one to believe that the action has been pressurised by political considerations."With his party standing by him, Varun said by making "adverse remarks and recommendations to the BJP and all other parties, the EC has acted beyond its jurisdiction and has surpassed its powers including under Article 324 of the Constitution". "It is astonishing that such harsh censure should be used without any attempt to ascertain the truth," said Varun, who has come under attack for his alleged anti-Muslim speeches recorded on tapes, which he claimed have been doctored.A day after EC recommended to BJP that he should not be fielded because of his hate campaign, Varun said the EC had given him no chance to clarify.Varun said he had asked for the material forming the basis of the EC notice to enable him to respond appropriately to the same. "But sadly in utter disregard of the principles of natural justice, the EC has in haste and unusually censorious language passed an opinion," he wrote to the EC.The BJP candidate also said the EC had taken the action without providing him personal hearing, the report against him or any materials on which that report is based.He claimed that the EC did not show him or even sought out for itself the original recording, if at all it exists.The EC gave the recommendation without "examining the authenticity or source of the tape that was sent to it which on a cursory glance shows that there has been splicing, repetition and interpolation during the so-called editing process as evident from the media logo seen in the footage. The short jumpy sequences also establish that the tape has been edited," Varun said.

And, at last, the BJP shows some guts:

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) The BJP today rejected the Election Commission's advise to it not not to nominate Varun Gandhi as candidate in the Lok Sabha elections and declared that he would be the party candidate in Pilibhit. "He (Varun) is our candidate. We have turned down the advise (by the EC) because it is does not not have the right to give such an advise," party spokesman Balbir Punj told reporters after meeting Varun. He said he was speaking as the authorised spokesman of the party and this was the view of the party leaders after consultations among them. In an unprecedented action, the Election Commission last night asked the BJP not not to nominate Varun as its candidate in the Lok Sabha elections after holding him guilty of making communal speeches. "Varun Gandhi does not not deserve to be a candidate at the present general elections...." the three-member Commission said in its advise to BJP

Punj said in a democracy it was the right of political paties to decide on who their candidates will be and it was not not for the Commission to say that. The BJP would not not accept the Election Commission's advise, he said adding it was the collective decision of the party leaders.

Punj also questioned the Election Commission's authority to advise against nominating Varun. "The entire episode smacks of prejudice and bias," he said. "If the Election Commission is so concerned, then it should be forthright in giving the same suggestion in the case of Sanjay Dutt, M K Subba, Shibu Soren, Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler," he said. The BJP spokesperson also sought to question the competency of the Commission in deciding the veracity of the compact disc containing anti-Muslim speeches allegedly made by Varun. "Where is the original CD? The Election Commission has no right to give such advise. It should refer the matter to an independent investigation agency," Punj said.

The response to my Sunday column, Coffee Break, in The Pioneer ("Varun was harsh, but so is truth) has been tremendous (http://www.dailypioneer.com/164149/Varun-was-harsh-but-so-is-truth.html). Here's a sample of the messages that have poured in:

Look no further than ModiBy Rb on 3/23/2009 12:15:36 PMThe more the "secular" media fulminated and fumed over Modi's comments, the more popular he became. Varun should take heart and stand his ground despite the sight of the BJP scurrying for cover. Another compelling reason why it is time for fresh blood at the BJP's (and the nation's) helm. Nice commentary by Kanchan Gupta!
Varun Gandhi Hate speechBy shashikant Rathi on 3/23/2009 11:05:16 AMMedia particularly English behave as if they are on the pay scroll of some political party, they are working like election strategist of that particular party. They became prosecution advocate and judge too. But they are far from realities, they tried same thing in the case of Narendra Modi by making Shoharabudin NATIONAL HERO but people saw it through and they bit the dust. Narendra Modi's win was more a loss of English MEDIA.
BJP has to support VarunBy Vijayendra Rao on 3/23/2009 10:34:44 AMBJP should support to Varun and has to send for campaigning to whole of India to bring new hope to Hindu communities. BJP has to lodge a case against news channel for showing fake video repeatedly.
Dharna in front fo your Congressmen Houses?By A. Sathe on 3/23/2009 9:26:37 AMFew have suggested that Hindus should parade with non-violence measures such as real Gandhigir and shout ' We are Hindus, Congress, go ahead put us in jail" in front of the houses of congressmen, UPA operatives, P-secs, and foreign owned media houses. BJP ruled states should boycott gaddars foreign owned media and their vendors. Congress and these media will make us another pathetic Nepal.
Varun Gandhi's SpechBy K.S.Balasubramanian on 3/23/2009 3:41:38 AMHe is well within his right to atriculate his views. Is it a crime being a Hindu to air their opinion where the majoriyt is ruled by the minority. It is time that all the Hindus unite themselves under one Umberlla and safeguard the nation and as well the majority community.
Varun Gandhi in defence of bitter truthBy Krishan on 3/23/2009 1:27:23 AMCongress is a dirty political party and these dirty tricks must be anticipated and fully exposed. Thank you for doing so. But Varun Gandhi and BJP should go a step further. Instead of just defending Varun Gandhi against contrived charges in a manufactured CD, please publish REPEATEDLY the dirty tricks and lies Congress Party subjects the Indian electorates to. This should become a major topic in the national discourse.
Gupta and VaarunBy ved on 3/22/2009 9:43:28 PMvery gutsy Kanchan Gupta is. He said what BJP hesitates to say. Well done.
Secular Media Is Biggest FarceBy Naveen Sharma on 3/22/2009 8:55:19 PMPseudo secular news channels are hell bent on converting India in Xian Country.....AR Antulay is Secular but BJP communal, 1984 riots were are reaction, Godhra is Communal, Questioning Ram is Secular......Hindus are tolerant but not Weak.....We will defeat them too.....Jai Sri Ram
The TruthBy V Gopal Krishnan on 3/22/2009 8:46:35 PMMr kanchan Gipta, thoughtful article. Thank you. Hindus can never expect anything from these so called secular politicians. When Mr. George Jacob Holyoak coined the word SECULARISM in 1864 , he would never have dreamed that one day in some part of the world the Politicians would understand it so wrong. All these polticians should be given a lesson on secularism what it actually means. At present in the Indian scenario anything anti Hindu is secular.
"Jai Ho Varun Gandhi " Say We 85% Hindus of NepalBy maheswar on 3/22/2009 7:44:03 PMKancchan Gupta has rightly placed the actual context of the remarks that Varun Gandhi made. This context needs to be underscored again and again and the concerned media duly punished by the Election Commission for propogandizing and profiting from the unfortunate event. Nevertheless, we in Nepal pray for a BJP victory and,thereafter, the restoration of the secular Hindu Kingdom of Nepal through a national rereferundum.
Fight the philosophy behind itBy rajgopal on 3/22/2009 6:56:27 PMsir,Don't misunderstand that the jihadic activities are done by some radical misguided muslims and terrorists like Afzal & Osama are aberrations of islam.Actually they are the real face of islam & living as per Quaran . All islamic terrorism emnate from Quaran & Muhamed. Actually the peace loving Muslims are an aberration. It is not a religion of peace. It is actually a cult of violence and backward pulling ideology. Dont believe what I am saying.All of you must go through Quaran.
Varun's speechBy Syamal on 3/22/2009 6:17:37 PMIt is a very thoughtful and timely article. I heard from several domestic workers from different non-Hindu dominated rural areas in W. Bengal that Durga Puja and similar other celebrations are highly restricted in their villages because of fear of reprisal. Some of the incidents in Pilibhit, as mentioned by Mr. Gupta, add credibility to the descriptions I heard from these workers.
varun GandhiBy krishnamurthy on 3/22/2009 5:46:07 PMGeat, Kanchan Ji. I am glad that there are yet people like you to tell the truth. God Bless
varun was harsh,but so is truthBy vijaya on 3/22/2009 5:39:15 PMThank you Mr Kanchan. All Indians whether in the Diaspora or in India should be grateful for the timely expose of liberal India's bias against Hindus. Your article is honest responsible journalism. You have set the record straight after first ascertaining that the tape has 17 cuts. Further, you have provided background details of the criminal activities going on in the Pilibhit constituency near the Nepal border. These are clearly anti Indian. And the minority Hindus are being harassed.
BJPBy JAY on 3/22/2009 5:29:52 PMvarun is 100 per cent right , god bless him and gives him courage to speak truth
BJPs response understandableBy Shankar on 3/22/2009 4:21:03 PMBJPs response is not because of offending Muslim votes. It is because it does not want to give any room for Navin Chawala to disqualify the party from contesting in polls.That would become a cake walk for congress. What BJP would do is to give the oratorial skills of Varun a polished make over and use him in UP to support the BJP. His future speech would be restrained, thoughtful but convey the right effect. This would work wonders. BJP is not disowning him.
THE TRUTHBy AJAY VYAS on 3/22/2009 4:10:01 PMHats off Mr Kanchan Gupta for telling the truth, that is majority of India believes. Our media,news channel are so biased & scared in telling the truth. Look at wesern masters when it comes to telling the truth they are blunt.Our media is so sickening ,all hindus must boycott them.Varun Gandhi must be congratulated for telling the truth.
BJP's response is comicalBy P Dutta on 3/22/2009 2:32:09 PMVarun Gandhi has said what most Hindus want to hear from their leaders. But the leaders are scared of losing Muslim votes. This is why BJP is trying to 'disown' and 'distance' itself from Varun. It is laughable to see the Naqvi and Shahnawaz denouncing Varun. Do they seriously believe Muslim voters will love them and BJP for that? The BJP is now like a half-caste. It is neither this nor that. It is a pathetic party of wimps.
Secularist VenomBy R. Viswam on 3/22/2009 2:32:09 PMYes, Varun was too brash, but he spoke the truth The islamist secular monster, as represented by the media, has really grown vicious.They want to dehinduize this country. How to counter should be the thought uppermost in all Hindus' minds. If Hindus take no action, in 50 years they would not be able to live with honour in this country.
ganshar@dataone.inBy B S GANESH, on 3/22/2009 1:31:39 PMIt is heartening to know that at least one member of the Gandhi family Varun Gandhi, has this feeling. All along the other members were dividing the country into minority and majority only to get votes from the so-called minority. They were pampering them with various facilities at the cost of the exchequer and majority of citizens who are not only Hindus but from various other communities like Sikh, Budihists, Jains and so on. It is foolish to divide the country again into minority and majority.
Varun speech - double standards appliedBy Shankar on 3/22/2009 12:15:52 PMWhen media targets BJP for Varun's speech they are actually polarizing the voters to vote against BJP. The same media refused to cover the vitriolic speech of Congress Minority cell president who called upon people saying thse who vote for BJP would be infidels and kafirs. Why is election commission not taking action? Why is BJP not going at it. It is sad that only in India the ruling party is dealt with kids glove whereas BJP is targetted day in and day out.
secular bigotryBy darsan@live.in on 3/22/2009 11:57:32 AMsir, in india secularism is a weasel word and the word "communal" is tagged on any one who protests aginst the killing of hindus and their ruthless suppression. our history is one wave of genocides by conquerors, but for secular history has only gujarat. millons were uprooted in 1947 from pakistan. this time hidus are persecuting hindus for power and pelf. it cant be stoped. it will end and the turn of hindu haters will come when the mullas rules.
Varun's SpeechBy Vox Indica on 3/22/2009 11:53:39 AMOn the role of the media, one wonders, quite often, whether words like objectivity and subjectivity are adequate to describe their views vis-à-vis Hindus and Hindu organisations - ‘bigoted’ would be more apt. To quote two recent examples, in separate, nationally televised programmes, media persons Praveen Swami of the Hindu and Harinder Baweja of the Tehelka proclaimed that if they were Muslims they would take to guns making even Kamal Farooqui, the secretary of the MPLB squirm.
When people cannot face truthBy Ashish on 3/22/2009 11:13:45 AMThis reaction of media and liberals is typical of delusional syndrome. Everything that he said was true, rough, uncouth but very much true. It lacked diplomatic sophistication but it was delivered for an audience on which nuances are usually lost. When the media and liberals are covertly endorsing candidature of convicted criminal who is very complicit with terrorists and anti-national they go all out against Varun Gandhi, who is worried about Talibanization of India and want to prevent it.
Varun's SpeechBy Vox Indica on 3/22/2009 10:14:55 AMThe quintessence of Indian secularism in its zeitgeist is not in separating the state from religion as the word originally connoted but in opposing Hinduism, its philosophy and social mores. The mantra of Indian media who would rather wear ‘secularism’ on its sleeve is to oppose any opposition of Hindu organisations - which for them come under the collective moniker of ‘the Sangh Parivar’.Therefore if Hindu organisations protest against anything, then the secular brigade must rush to oppose.
BJP does a BrutusBy Ganesh on 3/22/2009 10:13:30 AMVarun has only spoken the bitter truth. Whether the CD is doctored or not is secondary. Even the doctored CD does not look as bad as made out by the media.The general public reaction has been near overwhelmingly in support of whatever he said, going by the blogger and unbiased opinion polls(NDTV,CNN sms polls excused). ECs may have the rule books but in the eyes of the public Varun has only grown in stature. The same cannot be said of his party the BJP which was too instinctive in its reaction.
For the secularists everything connecte with hinduism is communalBy KSV SUBRAMANIAN on 3/22/2009 9:20:48 AMCongress and Communists who have patented the Indian kind of secularism has the authority to stamp anybody either secular and communal. According to them Hindus, Jai Shri Ram, Bhagavad Gita etc., are communal and should be kept at an arms length. Think of a Chief Minister calling any revered God/Saint etc., of any other religion other than hindu as "drunkard". And the person making such a derogatory remark is not an ordinary person. He is a Chief Minister of a state where there are crores of Hindus.
Hindus have no where to run except IndiaBy Arjun on 3/22/2009 9:15:32 AMSir, I like your description of the mainstream english madia as "dissolute". These guys don't half know how their roles are furthering global jihad. India is merely one front (in the many) in their global war. The dissolute press is playing Jaichand to perfection. However, Hindus have no option other than to fight back since they can't flee anywhere else. Then these dissolute presswallas will find their names up there on the board alongside Jaichand's.
VarunBy Vineet on 3/22/2009 8:20:36 AMThanks for this article which does add perspective to a thus one-sided debate. If these issues are indeed locally relevant, and I suspect they are, Varun Gandhi will be swept to MPship. In any case, when all the hoopla was raised on this 'hate speech' I was wondering why these agents were silent when one M Karunanidhi labelled Shri Ram a 'drunkard'. Unless you type up the ante, Mr Gupta, I am afraid we may permanently lose the war of influencing the impressionable minds of 70% of our population.
VARUN BEING YOUNG IS HARSHBy B S GANESH on 3/22/2009 7:47:08 AMVarun Gandhi being young had observed the misery of Hindus who are not properly treated in their own country. But what he said was misinterpreted by the media and opposition politicians to punish him. This is a family dispute also. It is heartening to know that at least one patriot was born in the Indira Gandhi family as VARUN GANDHI. All along the other members were dividing the country into minority and majority only to get votes from the so called minoritys.
Nation of A Billion BrainwashedBy Manish Maheshwari on 3/22/2009 6:34:40 AMThe drama never ceases in this blessed Nation of a Billion Brainwashed people, who keep scoring self-goals with a regularity that'll make a Beckham or a Ronaldo turn deep green with envy. Jai Sonia Mata ! Jai Rahul Baba !
varunBy raghu on 3/22/2009 6:14:00 AMThe Control of media in India by thugs paid by foreign powers who want eventual destruction of India ,is complete. It is a tragedy that the super rich like the Ambanis,the Mittals & the Murthys & Premjis of India have not launched a public supported TV channel with bulk coming from them to counter the anti-national TV channels controlled by foriegn powers who can not tolerate the rise of India.They will one day realise that doing nothing will eventually destroy them along with thier nation.
It is double standard of the Foreign Controlled Indian MediaBy Sunil Sharma on 3/22/2009 5:51:39 AMWe Hindus are doomed in our own Country. We have no saviour unless we can raise our voice against the injustice. I am afraid that Hindus will be finished from India in the next 50 years. God save us by sheltering our brave leaders like Varun Gandhi.
Intimidation tacticsBy Bharat Kr. on 3/22/2009 5:23:16 AMThe anti-Hindu media, under the mask of secular is trying hard to intimidate hindus not to say they are hindus and refer or quote any of their dharma sastras anywhere. In one of the news website,you can't use the words Hindu or dharma in the feedback. They have blocked words like Hindu, Dharma etc. You need to write Hinnndu, or dhaaarma. This reflect their cowardice and frustation. More they bash hindus, more they abuse hindu sastras, more these sick media will isolate themslves from the hindu society.
Varun GandhiBy Madhukar on 3/22/2009 5:03:35 AMThank you Kanchan Gupta for putting things in right perspective otherwise this christian run media will find faults with anything that is associated with Hindus.
UPA thugs are never exposed in media or CDs.By K. Singh on 3/22/2009 3:48:02 AMit was reported that the mysterious altered CDs. are being manufactured under the guidance of muslims techocrates and UPA partners in Delhi. Note that such CDs are regularly pumped into the State of Gujarat (or other BJP ruled States) to dethrone Mr. Modi during elections, whether it is from Tehelka, phone CD from Mukul Sinha, or Lalu.s investigation of Godhra riot. One will never see such CDs for corrupt Congress and UPA.
psuedosecular electronic and print mediaBy ash on 3/22/2009 2:12:53 AMapart from very few national news papers it is fair to say that the majority of print and eletrnic media are anti hindu pro muslim and indirectly supporting islamic terrorism in INDIA by keeping a blind eye to the jehadi terrorism in INDIA and would spread rumour and can not digest any political party's stand for the majority hindu's right.
Sounds so much like Britain!By Jay on 3/22/2009 1:52:40 AMOh, how India's media and intelligentisa refuse to let the nation rise above the mediocre. The same applies in Britain. Geert Wilders is banned from entering the country, young protesters with Israeili flags in bags get arrested for "breach of the peace" while the real hate mongers who terrorise our steets, who hurl jihadi venom at our armed forces, who vilify all that is democratic and just, who seek special treatment in all matters, are allowed to do so freely.
Varun vs. RahulBy anil on 3/22/2009 1:45:49 AMIt is more to do with Rahul's future. Varun in all likelyhood is seen as a possible contender to Rahul with a Gandhi surname by the old Gandhi camp. They must have come to the conclusion that if he is not stopped now - they won't be able to stop him in future, even though from opposite camp.
responseBy vikas on 3/22/2009 12:28:30 AMvery good article.congress party has made securalism eqal to minortism.hindus has stated feeling frustrated.congress always look for votes .see the plight of kashmiri pandits who are refugee in their own country. shame on psuedo secular electronic media.