I am proud of my faith, says Varun Gandhi
March 18th, 2009 - 1:37 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Asserting that he was a “Gandhi, a Hindu and an Indian” in equal measure, an unapologetic Varun Gandhi said here Wednesday that the CD showing him making an inflammatory speech was doctored and that was not his voice, nor his words.
“I am proud of my faith, not apologising for it,” Varun Gandhi told reporters while reading out a written statement.
“I am a victim of a political conspiracy… Those are not my words, that is not my voice. I want to ask the nation to stand by me,” said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate from Pilibhit constituency in Uttar Pradesh, who is facing a criminal case for his alleged hate-Muslim campaign speeches.
Nothing he had said was “intended to insult,” Varun Gandhi said, adding that he was “pro India, not anti anybody”.
Calling himself a proud Hindu, Varun Gandhi said thousands of people from the Hindu community had been arrested under the National Security Act, temples had been vandalised and village pradhans threatened daily.
He said his effort was “to restore confidence in the community”.
Pilibhit, he said, was a sensitive border area and there was the widespread fear that arms had been smuggled in.
Declaring that India was “a big country with a big heart”, he said the CD was supposed to have been based on a speech given on March 4 but released on March 16.
- Varun Gandhi should be arrested: Kapil Sibal - Mar 18, 2009
- Varun Gandhi unapologetic, claims CD doctored (Lead) - Mar 18, 2009
- Varun Gandhi remorseless, BJP disapproves (Second Lead) - Mar 18, 2009
- Varun Gandhi says CD doctored, BJP distances itself (Roundup) - Mar 18, 2009
- BJP distances itself from Varun, waits for poll panel view (Lead) - Mar 18, 2009
- Varun Gandhi's hate speech CD not doctored: Forensic experts - Jun 21, 2009
- Varun replies to poll panel notice, gets anticipatory bail (Lead) - Mar 20, 2009
- Varun Gandhi gets apex court notice for poll speeches - Dec 02, 2011
- BJP backs Varun for Pilibhit as he gets anticipatory bail (Second Lead) - Mar 20, 2009
- Menaka says forensic report on Varun Gandhi's hate CD 'one sided' - Jun 21, 2009
- Media melee at Varun Gandhi's residence - Mar 18, 2009
- Varun Gandhi misbehaves with journalist in Pilibhit - May 19, 2009
- Chargesheet against Varun Gandhi ready: police - Jun 23, 2009
- Varun Gandhi's 'hate speech' a legal issue, says Rajnath Singh - Jun 22, 2009
- Forensic report on Varun's speech one-sided: Maneka Gandhi - Jun 21, 2009
Tags: bharatiya janata party, border area, campaign speeches, confidence, constituency, criminal case, faith, fear, heart, hindu community, India, muslim, national security act, New Delhi, political conspiracy, stand by me, temples, vandalised, varun gandhi
