BJP Leaders express anguish over invoking NSA against Varun Gandhi

Indore, Apr 4 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Saturday expressed anguish over invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against Varun Gandhi.

Varun Gandhi, who is a BJP candidate from the Pilibhit parliamentary constituency, got mired in a controversy for his alleged anti-Muslim speech during an election campaign in Pilibhit.

BJP leader Arun Shourie said that Varun has more understanding than the Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.

"You should have some experience. You can't just pick up some one (Rahul Gandhi) and hand him over the responsibility of nation of one billion people. This will be making mockery of the future of the country. But I don't want to say much about him, as he is an innocent boy. But at the same time, I have found Varun more understandable of some of these things," Shourie added.

Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj also came to support Varun Gandhi, saying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's decision to invoke the NSA against Varun Gandhi was unacceptable for her party.

"The decision of the Election Commission that Varun Gandhi won't fight the general elections and Mayawati's decision to invoke the NSA on him is unacceptable to us. If Mukhtar Ansari, Atique Ahmad, Mohammad Shahabuddin and Taslimuddin can contest elections, why can't Varun Gandhi contest the elections? This is a new definition of secularism," Swaraj told reporters in Raipur.

Meanwhile, Maneka Gandhi, former Union Minister and mother of Varun Gandhi, retaliated to Maywati's comments made earlier in the day.

"Mother Teresa never ordered firing, she was not involved in anyone's killing. She has never sent any child to the prison. She never used law for buying jewellery and bungalows. Mother Teresa never sought bribes from contractors. She would never order firing on my son and on 60 innocent people. She only gave life. Mayawati has made the entire Uttar Pradesh a living hell," Gandhi said.

Earlier in the day, Mayawati had said that Mother Teresa irrespective of not being a mother showered her love to the entire world.

Maneka further said that Mayawati could not understand the pain of a mother since she is not the one. (ANI)