The grandson of late Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was arrested yesterday on charges of making inflammatory anti-Muslim statements during a campaign event earlier this month.
Varun Gandhi was arrested in northern Uttar Pradesh state for the remarks he allegedly made while campaigning for India＊s Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of elections later this year.
Gandhi was arrested amid clashes between party workers and the police in his constituency of Pilibhit, about 180km northwest of Uttar Pradesh＊s capital, Lucknow, the IANS news agency reported.
Gandhi has been placed in judicial custody until tomorrow.
India＊s Election Commission, after inspecting video footage of Gandhi＊s speech, said on March 22 that he had used ※highly derogatory references and seriously provocative language of a wholly unacceptable nature against a certain community.§
Gandhi claimed the video CD had been doctored, but the commission said it was not convinced and that the 29-year-old politician did not deserve to be a candidate in the elections. The commission urged the BJP to withdraw Gandhi＊s candidacy.
While inflammatory speeches are banned by the Election Commission, the commission does not have the right to bar a candidate from contesting unless he is found guilty through a regular legal process.
Speaking to reporters moments before his arrest, Gandhi said he had been framed.
※If, by going to jail, I can motivate people to stand up for their rights and their community, I am ready to go to jail,§ he said.
※I believe in my principles and am willing to fight for them. I have full faith in the law and judiciary,§ he said.
Two police stations in Pilibhit district have filed cases against Gandhi for promoting enmity between classes.
Hundreds of BJP workers turned out with saffron party flags in Pilibhit yesterday in a show of support for Gandhi.
The police carried out baton charges as mobs of workers threw stones, PTI and IANS鬿news agencies reported.
At least 50 BJP workers were arrested as they blocked roads and clashed with the police.
Gandhi had earlier filed an anticipatory bail application with the Delhi high court, but withdrew it on Friday, saying he had decided to face arrest.
※Varun Gandhi is doing what he thinks is the right thing. The court will now investigate and do forensic investigation to see if the CD was doctored,§ BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said.
※He will be facing trial. Let us see what comes out of it. We believe justice will prevail,§ Javedakar said.
Gandhi is a first-time candidate and was contesting a constituency where elections are scheduled to be held in the fifth phase of India＊s staggered general election on May 13, Javadekar said.
The Congress Party, which leads India＊s federal coalition government and is led by Sonia Gandhi, accused Varun Gandhi and the BJP of playing communal politics.
Varun Gandhi＊s mother, Maneka Gandhi, was married to Indira Gandhi＊s second son Sanjay Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi, who was married to Indira＊s elder son Rajiv, is his aunt.
The two branches of the family are members of rival political parties. The Congress Party and the BJP lead the two main alliances fighting the general elections.
※I am sure the BJP鳱eadership is in tune with the drama being enacted by Varun Gandhi,§ Congress Party spokesman Kapil Sibal said.
India＊s northern Uttar Pradesh state, which sends 80 lawmakers to India＊s 545-member Lok Sabha or lower house of parliament, has seen several Hindu-Muslim riots in the past.
Politicians in the state routinely raise caste, communal and religious divisions in their efforts to win elections.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
A documentary whose main subject, 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza weeks before it premiered at Cannes stunned viewers into silence at the festival on Thursday. As the cinema lights came back on, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi held up an image of the young Palestinian woman killed with younger siblings on April 16, and encouraged the audience to stand up and clap to pay tribute. “To kill a child, to kill a photographer is unacceptable,” Farsi said. “There are still children to save. It must be done fast,” the exiled Iranian filmmaker added. With Israel
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s
RSS