Jail that can hold me is yet to be built: Narendra Modi

BALASINOR (Gujarat): Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today took a dig at science and technology minister, Kapil Sibal for asking him to be prepared to go to jail for speaking "nonsense" about Congress
.

"My dear Congress friends, a jail that can hold Modi is yet to be built," the Gujarat chief minister told an election gathering here, in response to Sibal's remarks that Modi should stop speaking nonsense about Congress or else be prepared to go to jail
.

"I would like to tell the Congress people that they have dialled a wrong number. Are you trying to threaten me? Keep open the doors of all the jails in India and take me whenever you want, my address is known to all," Modi said.

The state BJP unit has already launched a complaint with Election Commission against Sibal's remarks.

"By making outrageous remarks against Modi, Sibal tried to prove that the Congress party runs the judiciary in the country," the BJP complaint said.

The Election Commission is yet to take action on the complaint filed two days ago.
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Varun not a criminal, why drastic measure like NSA: SC

NEW DELHI: "Varun Gandhi is not a criminal, why were such drastic measures invoked against him," asked the Supreme Court
on Monday, triggering a
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi addresses media representatives in New Delhi. (AP Photo)
rethink in the Mayawati government, which had slapped stringent National Security Act provisions against the young BJP leader for his communal speech at Pilibhit.

This observation from a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam indicated that Varun could soon be released from Etah jail, where he was shifted from Pilibhit citing law and order situation. Varun also told the court that he was ready to give an undertaking that he would not commit the same mistake again.

Stung by the apex court's critical remarks, senior advocate Harish Salve and UP additional advocate general Shail Kumar Dwivedi did a quick re-think in strategy, especially after the state's affidavit justifying charging Varun with NSA, and told the court that they would get back with the Mayawati government's response on Thursday, when the case would be heard again.

So, on April 16, there is all likelihood of Varun getting out of jail as, apart from the SC virtually castigating the UP government for overreacting to the provocative speech, the young leader said he would give an undertaking not to repeat his mistake.

Right at the beginning of the hearing on Varun's petition seeking quashing of charges under NSA, the CJI asked a simple question: "You want quashing of the charges, but is the UP government serious about it?"

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Hate speech: BJP's candidate from Kandhamal, Ashok Sahu, arrested

BHUBANESWAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Sahu was arrested on Tuesday for making an inflammatory speech in
Orissa's Kandhamal region earlier this month.

"Sahu was arrested from Phulbani town," Kandhamal district collector Krishan Kumar said.

Sahu, who is the BJP's candidate for the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, is accused of delivering a communally charged speech on April 5 at a public meeting in Raikia town. He allegedly accused the church of indulging in conversion.

Kandhamal district, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread communal violence after the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram on Aug 23, 2008.

At least 38 people were killed in the state and more than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs. More than 3,000 people are still living in government relief camps.

Sahu, linked to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, had made similar remarks during the communal violence last year. Christian leaders had immediately refuted the allegations.

While Sahu is contesting the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, the BJP has also nominated Manoj Pradhan, an accused in the riots, for the assembly election from G. Udayagiri constituency in the district.

Pradhan was arrested about four months ago and is still in jail.

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