SULTANPUR (UP), Apr 15:
Breaking his silence over cousin Priyanka Gandhi’s remark that he has gone “astray”, Varun Gandhi today suggested that she has crossed the “lakshman rekha of decency” and said nobody can raise one’s stature by belittling somebody.
The 34-year-old BJP leader also said that his “decency and large-heartedness” should not be construed as a weakness by anyone. Varun, who filed his nomination from Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat after holding a massive road show here, also chose the occasion to hail the leadership of Narendra Modi after remaining silent over him for over a month during his campaign in his new Parliamentary constituency bordering Amethi and Rae Bareli, the Nehru-Gandhi family pocketborough.
Four local BJP leaders from Upper caste and OBC communities signed as proposers in his nomination
Hardselling his son of the soil image, the BJP general secretary repeatedly invoked his father Sanjay Gandhi’s name while addressing a public meeting in the city drawing cheers from the crowd.
Talking of his commitment to the politics of decency and decorum, Varun claimed that he never crossed the “lakshman rekha of decency” against his family members or senior leaders of Opposition parties.
Gandhi, an MP from Plibhit, switched to Sultanpur this time and is considered to be in a strong position.
Rahul Gandhi, who represents neighbouring Amethi held a road show in 16 km area of Sultanpur when he filed his nomination from Amethi on April 12. The same day, Priyanka Gandhi addressing a gathering of party workers from Sultanpur criticised Varun for BJP links.
“He is definitely from my family, he is my brother.But he has gone astray. When a young one in the family chooses the wrong path, then elders show them the right path, the right way.I urge all of you to show my brother the right path,” she had said. Her comments had invited immediate response from Varun’s mother Maneka Gandhi who said if he has gone astray while serving the country, then the country will decide.
Alluding to the spat, Varun said, “These days, lot of things have come up.I just want to tell this much that nobody should treat my decency and large-heartedness as weakness …There have been a talk about my path.I am a simple youth.
“My path is not that important.Rather we should focus on how to strengthen the path of the nation. We should do politics of values and issues and not one of personal insinuation…If we do the politics of badmouthing one another and try to raise someone’s stature by belittling someone, it is not going to benefit anybody,” Varun said.
The BJP leader said people ask him why he does not talk against some individual or party and whether he does not feel that he should get some publicity by doing so and his answer to this is that “one who is focused on work does not have time for all this”. (PTI)
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