Varun comes out of Etah jail afer SC order

Etah/New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) After remaining behind bars
for 20 days, India's former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's
grandosn Varun Gandhi was released from the Etah jail in Uttar
Pradesh this evening hours after the Supreme Court ordered
that the young BJP leader detained under the stringent NSA be
granted a two-week parole on the condition he will not make
any more inflammatory speeches.

The reprieve for the 29-year-old estranged member of the
Nehru-Gandhi family in the form of temporary bail was given by
the Apex Court to enable him to campaign for Lok Sabha polls
after it said he would not indulge in any conduct likely to
disturb communal harmony. Varun is contesting from Pilibhit in
UP which goes to polls in the final phase on May 13 and April
24 is the last date for filing nominations.

Dressed in a maroon kurta, a sober and restrained Varun
briskly walked out of the Etah prison at 6.25 PM and got into
a waiting black sports utility vehicle where his mother and
BJP MP Maneka Gandhi anxiously waited for him. He did not
speak to waiting newsmen but greeted his supporters with
folded hands and also waved at them.

Hundreds of supporters, who had assebled outside the jail
since afternoon after Varun's release became imminent, raised
slogans in his support.

Shortly before he was released, a tough talking Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati warned in Lucknow that even
more stringent action would be taken against him if he
violates his undertaking not to make inflammatory speeches.

Describing Varun as a "threat" to law and order, she
said a close watch would be kept on the activities of Varun
detained under the National Security Act(NSA)

Varun was given the reprieve after he was asked to give
an undertaking to both the police in Etah and the Supreme
court that he will desist from making "inflammatory and
provocative speeches threatening to disturb public order"
following the apex court order.

The undertaking in terms of section 153A and 153B of
the Indian Penal Code which deals with the offences against
public tranquility is to be filed by Varun in the apex court
by Monday after his release from Etah jail, a Bench headed by
Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said. Varun, who was arrested
on March 28, was shifted to Etah from Pilbhit on March 29, a
day after NSA was slapped on him.

After his release, Varun proceeded to Agra from where he
is to fly to Delhi, sources said. The BJP and the VHP
supporters had planned a big roadshow for Varun but it did not
take place.

In Lucknow, Mayawati said, "Though I will not like to
make any comment on SC decision to grant parole to Gandhi, my
government is of the view that his release could vitiate
public order in the state. We have strongly contended in the
court not to release Gandhi".

Referring to Varun's undertaking, Mayawati also dragged
into picture the former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, who
was in BJP during the demolition of Babri Masjid mosque.

"Such an undertaking was given by the then Chief Minister
Kalyan Singh in Ayodhya issue but Congress and BJP had
connived and the Babri Mosque was demolished there. And his
(Singh's) undertaking proved to be of no use", Mayawati said.

"As Varun belongs to the same party (BJP), we have to see
how much he follows what he promised in his undertaking", the
Chief Minister said.

"If Varun behaves like Kalyan SIngh, our government will
initiate stricter legal action against him", she said. PTI
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