Author: Kumar Uttam
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: March 24, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/164786/Varun-issue-backfires-on-EC.html
* To remain BJP candidate from Pilibhit
* EC selective, has no jurisdiction: BJP
Outraged by the Election Commission's suggestion
to drop Varun Gandhi as candidate from Pilibhit, the BJP insisted on Monday
that it would field him, while the politician son of late Sanjay Gandhi took
pot shots at the Election Commission, saying his 'real court of appeal' lay
with the people.
Varun expressed "deep disappointment"
over the unseemly haste in which the EC passed an opinion without giving him
a fair opportunity to establish his innocence. He pointed out that there were
several candidates in the fray who had been convicted of or were being tried
for crimes that carry far larger sentences than the one for which he has been
accused of.
"Despite the same, at least till now,
I find that the EC's eagerness to exercise its "recommendatory jurisdiction"
begins and ends with my case alone. This itself coupled with the haste with
which the EC has acted leaves one to believe that the action has been pressurised
by political considerations," Varun said in a communication to the EC.
Also, in making adverse remarks and recommendations
to the BJP and all other parties, Varun asserted, the EC has acted beyond
its jurisdiction and has surpassed its powers, including under Article 324
of the Constitution of India.
The Election Commission's judgement also left
the BJP fuming. "How the EC can tell us who should or should not be our
candidates. It is not vested with any power to pass such orders," BJP
general secretary Arun Jaitley pointed out.
The senior BJP leader said the EC was asking
the party for something (debarring Varun from contesting the election) that
even it was not in a position to ensure till someone was convicted for more
than two years.
The party is now preparing for a high pitched
campaign in Varun's constituency. "This suggestion of the Election Commission
(to drop Varun) is pregnant with serious implications for the Indian democracy.
In fact, this unprecedented move on the part of the Election Commission seeks
to redefine the contours of democratic practices and traditions in operation
since independence," party spokesman Balbir Punj said while announcing
the BJP's decision to field him in the forthcoming elections.
The BJP reiterated that despite the serious
nature of the speech by the chairman of the Congress Party Minority Cell Imran
Kidwai, the EC has yet to take any action on the complaint filed by the BJP
in this regard.
Moreover, it said, the presence of senior
office-bearers of the Congress party, including the official candidate of
Chandigarh, at the venue has also not spurred the EC to act till date and
even issue a notice in this regard.
Gita ki kasam
PNS | Lucknow: Priyanka Vadera Gandhi termed
Varun remarks "unfortunate" and claimed it was against the ideology
of the Gandhi family. She claimed to be deeply 'hurt' as her family had always
fought to maintain secular fabric. "The issue has saddened my family
and Varun's remarks are not acceptable either by the country or my family,"
she said.
Priyanka was also critical of Varun's reference
to Gita in his speech. "First Varun should read Gita… properly before
making such comments," she said.
