Varun hate speech: Mayawati government to take legal action

Lucknow, July 3 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi's reported hate speeches have landed him in fresh trouble with the Uttar Pradesh government Friday sanctioning legal action against him for promoting communal disharmony.

'We have given the nod to the Pilibhit district administration to start proceedings against Varun under the Section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that deals with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony,' a state home department official told IANS.

The approval for initiating legal penal action against Varun Gandhi, who courted controversy with his alleged hate speeches during the run-up to the recent Lok Sabha elections, was taken after consulting experts of the law department, he added.

According to police, a charge sheet was prepared against Varun Gandhi after forensic experts confirmed that three CDs of the speeches he allegedly delivered in his constituency in March were genuine.

Three criminal cases are registered against the young, first-time MP from Pilibhit for his alleged hate speeches.

The first criminal case, relating to the anti-Muslim speech he allegedly delivered at a public rally in Barkhera village of Pilibhit district March 8, was registered March 17.

The second case was registered over the same incident at the behest of the Election Commission, which took serious cognisance of the speech.

Yet another hate speech Varun Gandhi reportedly made was at Desh Nagar locality of Pilibhit town March 7. A case for this speech was registered March 19.

--IANS