Advani condemns slapping of NSA on Varun Gandhi

Ranchi, Mar 31 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L K Advani condemned slapping of the National Security Act (NSA) on Varun Gandhi by the BSP Government headed by Mayawati.

"I remember that the National Security Act (NSA) was used by this government during the emergency. I cannot think that during elections such law is used against a candidate. There cannot be anything more worse than this, I strongly condemn it," Advani said on the sidelines of a public rally here on Monday.

Advani forgot to mention that during the emergency the NSA was used by the Congress Government.

Earlier, Varun's mother and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi defended her son and said slapping of the NSA, for inciting violence by making inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks, was a travesty of justice.

She termed the imposition of the NSA a "misuse of a serious law".

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav termed the invoking of the (NSA) against Varun as "wrong" and misused "to settle political scores".

On Monday, Varun got bail in the case pertaining to alleged anti-Muslim remarks, however, he will continue to remain behind bars as the NSA has been slapped against him.

He has also been charged in a case in which his supporters created violence at the time of his arrest on March 28.

On Sunday, Pilibhit police lodged an FIR against Varun for making inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks and creating a riot-like situation in the district. He, however, has maintained his innocence, claiming that the CD containing his speech was tampered with. (ANI)