Protect Varun, Maneka writes to PM

Both Maneka Gandhi and her son, Varun, have made his security an issue, citing the arrest of six sharpshooters of Chhota Shakeel gang. The men, it is claimed, were planning to kill Varun’s lawyer defending him in the hate speech case, reports HT Correspondent.

Both Maneka Gandhi and her son, Varun, have made his security an issue, citing the arrest of six sharpshooters of Chhota Shakeel gang. The men, it is claimed, were planning to kill Varun’s lawyer defending him in the hate speech case.

HT Image

While Maneka shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, alleging that Home Minister P. Chidambaram was not taking the “threats” to her son’s life seriously.

“The home ministry has taken these threats very casually — it is as if you want Varun Gandhi to be killed,” she said.

“The home minister told me he cannot protect everyone in this country,” said Maneka, the BJP Member of Parliament from Aonla in Uttar Pradesh.

“It is with the deepest concern for my son's life and safety that I write to you today," she said in her letter.

In a separate statement, Varun said asked the Centre to give him more security.

Though he was not intimidated by such cowardly threats, strong precautions must be taken to defeat the desperate designs of extremist elements, he said.

“This is the second time in recent months that such a conspiracy has been uncovered. I am... not intimidated by such cowardly threats,” he said.

The Delhi Police had said on Saturday the gang had come to the Capital to allegedly kill Varun’s lawyer, who challenged the UP government's move to slap the National Security Act against him.