Varun charged with making hate-speech, again

Varun Gandhi on Sunday faced yet another charge of making a hate-speech in Pilibhit even as the EC deliberates for the second day on his reply defending allegations of making inflammatory remarks with communal overtones in the same constituency.

Varun Gandhi on Sunday faced yet another charge of making a hate-speech in Pilibhit even as the EC deliberates for the second day on his reply defending allegations of making inflammatory remarks with communal overtones in the same constituency.

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V M Singh, the Congress candidate from Pilibhit, has stated in his complaint to the EC that Gandhi made another inflammatory speech at Avas Vikas/ Desh Nagar area of the constituency on March 6, where he is heard "making fun of the Sikh community" and Muslims as well.

Singh has submitted a CD with 28 minutes of recorded speech where Gandhi is alleged to have said, "Lekin ek to paagal Sardar lad raha hai, jiske har samay baara baje hue hai...Aur woh ek Musalmaan ka agent ban ke lad raha hai, joh Hindu usko lada rahe hai...Woh Hinduo ke sabse bade gaddar hai..."

The text roughly means, "There is a mad Sikh contesting... who is contesting as an agent of a Muslim... The Hindus who are backing him are the biggest traitors of Hindus."

Varun was also heard saying that "Hindu armies" would be formed and given arms licenses, procured both "formally and informally", Singh claimed.

Sources said Singh has claimed that the clips were made from mobile phones and were authentic.