Varun thankful for party support during detention under NSA

NEW DELHI: BJP candidate Varun Gandhi on Saturday expressed his gratitude to the party leader L K Advani for having stood by him during his incarceration after being booked under NSA for his alleged hate speeches.

29-year-old Varun, who was released on two-week parole from Etah jail in UP on Thursday, met Advani at his residence here.

During the nearly hour-long meeting, Varun is understood to have expressed his gratitude to the party for having stood by him "staunchly in his hour of crisis," party sources said.

During the meeting, Advani also inquired about Gandhi's campaign plans.

The BJP leader also enquired in detail about Varun's experience in Etah jail.

Varun's meeting comes ahead of his filing nomination for Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat on April 21, for which the last date of filing nomination is April 24 and polling will take place on May 13.

Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi is expected to file her nomination from Aonla seat in Uttar Pradesh today.

Varun was released from Etah jail on parole for two weeks following a Supreme Court directive, 20 days after he was detained under the NSA for making hate speeches at election meetings in Pilibhit.

Varun also assured Advani that he will be more careful with his campaign speeches.

The Supreme Court had ordered the release of Varun on the condition that he will not make any inflammatory speeches during the elections.

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Sanjay Dutt in trouble for ‘sexist’ remarks against Mayawati

NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor and Samajwadi Party General Secretary Sanjay Dutt is courting controversy yet again after he offered ‘jaadu ki jhappi'to Mayawati.

Dutt has been slapped with a notice by the district magistrate of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh for passing ‘sexist’ comments against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, according to Times Now.

"I will give Mayawati a hug and a kiss (jaadu ki jhappi). In her governance there are taps but no water, bulbs but no electricity, and hospitals without beds," Dutt said in an election rally in Pratapgarh on April 17, 2009.

Earlier on Tuesday, an FIR was registered against Dutt for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by making communal remarks in an election rally in Mau district.

Dutt was in the city to campaign in support of SP nominee Arshad Jamal Ansari contesting election from Ghosi parliamentary seat.

Dutt during his speech said, "Jab mai police custody me tha to police wale mujhe third degree dete the. Wo mujhe marte the aur kehte the ki tumhari maa musalman hai" (When I was in police custody I was given third degree by them because I am son of a Muslim lady).

The district administration of Mau reacted promptly in the matter and filed a complaint against Sanjay Dutt for violating the model code of conduct (MCC).

As per the MCC, "during an election campaign, no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic."

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