Advisory Board Recommends Revocation of NSA against Varun
The advisory board of the Allahabad High Court said on Friday that invoking the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against BJP Pilibhit nominee Varun Gandhi, for his alleged communal remarks, was not valid.
The board “strongly recommended immediate revocation” of the NSA against the young Gandhi, said a report on IBNLive.
“NSA invoked against the BJP leader Varun Gandhi has been held invalid by the board,” UP home secretary Javed Ahmad was quoted as saying by PTI.
Varun had appeared before the board on April 28 and explained that the CD on the basis of which an FIR was lodged against him was doctored.
29-year-old Varun, who is currently out on parole granted by the Supreme Court, was detained under NSA on March 28 on charges of inciting communal passion by making provocative and inflammatory speeches during election meetings in Pilibhit on March seven and eight.
The Mayawati government will now examine the board decision and decide whether or not to revoke NSA charges against Varun.
The panel, which met on Friday, was not convinced by the material provided by the Pilibhit district magistrate.
Varun alleged that the decision to invoke NSA against him was political motivated and an attempt to sabotage his electoral debut, the allegations were refuted by the UP government.
The board maintained that it did not find “plausible and convincing” grounds to invoke NSA against Varun and added that it was not satisfied by the explanation provided by the Pilibhit District Magistrate (DM).
The board decision is sure to bring cheer to the Varun Gandhi camp that faces electoral litmus in Pilibhit during the final leg of the five-phase polls on May 13.
Coming in the midst of the speculation season, the board decision has triggered a fresh round of rumours both in Lucknow and New Delhi with poll analysts poring over what might be the stand adopted by BSP supremo and chief minister Mayawati, if the Third Front failed to bring in the numbers or if the alliance crashed out due to infighting over the top post after results for the 15th Lok Sabha start to come in on May 16.
Though, the board observation resulted in cheer across the saffron spectrum, the Mayawati state government in UP said it was steadfast on the decision and would move the Supreme Court to retain NSA against the young parliamentary hopeful.
