TNN

Pilibhit, Mar 28: BJP Lok Sabha candidate Varun Gandhi was on Saturday arrested and sent to judicial custody till Monday after he moved a surrender plea in Pilibhit court, where a case has been filed against him for his 'hate' speech.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate sent Varun Gandhi to judicial custody until the next hearing Monday, BJP leader Kalraj Misra said.

The court sentence came shortly after Varun, addressing the media outside the court, said that he was "ready to go to jail" for the people of Uttar Pradesh and the nation.

Claiming that he was a victim of political conspiracy, Varun said, “This is a conspiracy in which I have been framed. I have full faith in the law and in the judiciary. I believe in my principles and I am willing to fight for them... I am ready to go to jail”.

Clad in a red-coloured kurta, 29-year-old Varun was greeted by large number of BJP supporters carrying saffron flags.

"The only objective of my coming here is to strengthen my people, my society and the whole country.....I will not step back, if by my going to jail others are encouraged to stand by their principles, to fight by their principles," he said to people raising slogans in his support.

Around 50 BJP workers and saffron activists were detained on Saturday after they blocked roads and clashed with the police as Varun made his journey towards Pilibhit town.

Supporters shouting 'jai Shri Ram' tried to block roads to prevent the movement of police leading to a clash between the two sides.

Security personnel, who had moved in large numbers, were making announcements over loudspeakers that prohibitory order under section 144 has been imposed.

A large number of activists with saffron flags hailing Varun came in tractors and buses to the town as the BJP candidate left Delhi in the small hours for courting arrest.

The district administration stepped up security in the town with PAC marching on the streets.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesman Kapil Sibal blamed LK Advani for Varun’s arrest drama.

"A drama is being enacted by Varun Gandhi. I am sure that Advaniji is in tune with it. Without his consent, it would not have happened," Sibal said.

The estranged Nehru-Gandhi scion, who is making an electoral debut from Pilibhit, came in the limelight after his alleged anti-communal speeches in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit constituency, a seat represented by his mother Maneka Gandhi so far.

Following this, an FIR was lodged against Varun in Pilibhit on the direction of election authorities after CDs containing his anti-Muslim speeches surfaced. Varun's anticipatory bail granted by the Delhi High Court also expired yesterday.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court had rejected the bail plea of the 29-year-old BJP leader and this was cited by his lawyer as the reason for withdrawing the bail plea from the Delhi High Court.