BJP not to disown Varun Gandhi, clarifies Advani

BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani today said the party will not disown Varun Gandhi if the tapes of his speeches are found to be true, but correct him. Varun is currently lodged in Etah jail for his anti-Muslim speeches at a rally in Pilibhit.

BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani on Monday said the party will not disown Varun Gandhi if the tapes of his speeches are found to be true, but correct him.

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"Even if it turns out to be true, a person making a statement which I don't approve of, does it empower a party to disown the person?..... (It needs to) correct him that this is not done," he said.

To a question that will the party disown Varun if his statements turns out to be true, Advani maintained that one cannot run a political party like this.

"If turns out to be true. I will tell him never to do it (again)," he said.

"I have (known of) so many people who have made statements of which I don't approve of. I am not on that account (for) throwing them out of the party," he said.

Varun is currently lodged in Etah jail for his anti-Muslim speeches at a rally in Pilibhit. He has denied making the remarks and said the CD containing his speeches was doctored.