Varun for reviving Sanjay Gandhi's controversial sterilization policy

London, May 9 (ANI): Fire-brand BJP leader Varun Gandhi wants to revive his late father Sanjay Gandhi's controversial sterilization policy, and thinks compulsory military training can fight communalism.

In an interview to the UK-based Daily Telegraph, Varun said he hoped to follow in his father's footsteps by offering strong leadership which India has lacked for 20 years.

Claiming that politics was his destiny, the BJP candidate from Pilibhit said, "Anyone who says they have no ambition to achieve power at some stage is lying."

Besides reviving the sterilisation policy, Varun said he would also propose a bill in Parliament to introduce compulsory military service for all Indians so that Indians can "unite the country and overcome caste and religious differences".

"Instead of people thinking of themselves as Tamils or Brahmins, they should think of themselves as Indians," the Daily Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

Varun denied making threatening remarks against Muslims, but he admitted that he vowed to protect local people from "anti-social" elements after three local girls were reportedly gang-raped.

In late 1970s, Varun's father, Sanjay Gandhi, had initiated a sterilization program whereby police and government officials were asked to forcibly perform vasectomies on men and also sterilize women.

Most cases were reported from the Muslim-dominated Turkman gate area of Delhi.

Under this program, which was made a part of the government's family planning initiative and was supposed to target only men with two children, several unmarried men were sterilized to meet government targets. (ANI)