The Hindu

NEW DELHI, Apr 18: Back at his mother’s residence here after release on parole, Varun Gandhi, the BJP’s Pilibhit candidate, on Friday said he never advocated violence as a tool in politics.

Mr. Gandhi issued a statement saying he hoped to be “vindicated” shortly by the highest court of the land vis-À-vis his “illegal detention”, a reference to his being jailed in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, under the National Security Act for alleged hate speeches.

Gandhi thanked the BJP and “millions of Indians” who had supported him during the “difficult times.” He is scheduled to file his nomination on April 21.

Answering “false” accusations made against him, Gandhi said: “Let me make it clear. I do not [advocate] and have never advocated violence as a tool in politics. What I have advocated and I firmly stand by is that all Indians should unite to face the threat of terrorism... I shall continue to raise my voice against anti-national forces.”

While BJP president Rajnath Singh appears keen on getting Mr. Gandhi to campaign in many constituencies, besides Mr. Varun’s own and his mother’s Aonla, some other leaders are trying to play down the Varun factor for the BJP in this election.

BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said on Thursday: “He is contesting for the first time and has to concentrate on his own constituency. It is possible that he will also campaign in his mother’s constituency and a few areas nearby. I do not see him being taken by the BJP for campaigning in different States.”

‘To campaign everywhere’

PTI reports from Ghaziabad: BJP president Rajnath Singh on Friday said if there was a demand for Varun from different constituencies for the election campaign, the party would oblige such propositions.

“If there is a demand from anywhere for him to campaign, he (Varun) would campaign,” Singh told reporters outside the Returning Officer’s office here where he had come to file his nomination. Singh said more than anything, he was happy to see Varun out of jail.