Hate speech not party view: BJP

Varun Gandhi in his response to an Election Commission notice said on Friday the CD showing him making hate speeches was doctored, even as the BJP distanced itself from the controversy, saying the remarks didn’t represent the views of the party. HT Correspondents report.

Varun Gandhi in his response to an Election Commission notice said on Friday the CD showing him making hate speeches was doctored, even as the BJP distanced itself from the controversy, saying the remarks didn’t represent the views of the party.

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Responding to the poll panel’s notice on Friday, the BJP said the Election Commis-sion should ask forensic experts to check if the CD was genuine.

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami’s had put the onus on Varun to prove his claim that the CD was doctored.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court granted anticipatory bail to Varun, who had moved court fearing arrest in connection with the FIRs registered against him in Uttar Pradesh. The case was registered for Varun’s alleged inflammatory remarks against Muslims. There is no provision of a pre-arrest bail in Uttar Pradesh.

The poll panel is expected to deliberate on Varun and BJP’s replies on Saturday, when the three election commissioners return from Orissa.

"The BJP categorically states that it completely disagrees, disassociates and disapproves the contents of the CD as sent to us," party leader R Ramakrishna said in reply to the poll panel.

Though in its reply the BJP avoided mentioning Varun as an official candidate, spokesperson Prakash Javad-ekar told repor-ters, "Varun Gandhi is our candidate from Pilibhit." When asked what the party would do if the allegations were found to be true, Javadekar said: "Let the poll panel take action, then we’ll decide."

The Congress has said action should be taken against Varun, if his statements were found to be provocative. “If the Election Commission doesn’t take action on this matter, it’ll encourage other candidates,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said.