SC to decide Varun Gandhi's fate on Monday

New Delhi, Apr 12 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday will take up Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi's petition challenging the Uttar Pradesh Government's decision to slap the National Security Act (NSA) against him for his alleged hate speeches.

The matter will be heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, who on April 2 had sought an explanation from the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Pilibhit District Magistrate for slapping of the NSA against Varun Gandhi.

However, the state government and the District Magistrate of Pilibhit, on Saturday, justified their decision of invoking the NSA against Gandhi by saying that the speech made by him in an election meeting in Pilibhit on March 6 had "communal overtones."

The state government, in its 35-page response to the apex court denied Varun Gandhi's charge that he was booked under the NSA due to a political conspiracy.

They also accused Varun Gandhi of creating "chaos" while surrendering before a court on March 28.

Varun had challenged his detention under NSA in Pilibhit last month. He was taken to the Pilibhit District jail and later shifted to Etah jail for security reasons.

Gandhi said the decision of invoking the NSA against him was passed with political motivation and without following due procedure.

The petition filed through advocate Sandeep Kapoor said: "The entire attempt is a combined effort of the District Magistrate of Pilibhit and Uttar Pradesh Government to ensure that he (Varun Gandhi) is not able to contest and campaign for general elections scheduled for next month so as to sabotage his electoral debut". (ANI)