VHP warns of Amarnath-like protest if Varun not freed soon

Lashing out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for slapping NSA on BJP leader Varun Gandhi, the VHP today warned of an "Amarnath-like" protest if the Pilibhit constituency nominee, booked for his hate speeches, was not released at the earliest.

"Varun Gandhi's detention under NSA is highly condemnable and totally undemocratic. It is a fall-out of the panic that has been caused among forces like ruling BSP and the Samajwadi Party who thrive on the politics of social fragmentation along the caste lines," VHP chief Ashok Singhal told reporters here.

Singhal also took a dig at the BSP supremo for fielding Mukhtar Ansari, who has tainted past records.

"If Mayawati is so serious about law and order how can she explain her patronage to Ansari", he asked.

However, the VHP leader said he was not aware of Varun's hate speech contents and rather asked, "if somebody speak of protecting Hindus and fighting those who pose a threat to the community, what is wrong in that".

"If injustice against Varun continues, it may lead to an agitation that would be on the same scale witnessed in Jammu over the Amarnath issue," he added.

Earlier, the BJP had nominated Varun Gandhi to make his electoral debut from Pilibhit, a constituency represented by his mother Maneka Gandhi so far.