[Reader-list] Varun's speech blues

[M Javed]

In today's age of recordings, hidden cameras and CDs, what I don't
understand is, why have we become so lazy that we only depend on what
is there in the recording (whether doctored or not) to prove whether
somebody said something or not. If Varun made a speech in front of at
least a few hundred (or even 20) people, why can't we consider
bringing some of those people as witnesses to what he said? And if
those people tell us a lie, or refuse to cooperate giving a witness
account, or don't want to divulge their names (as one resident of
Pilibhit does) then it becomes even more interesting - it shows how we
play double standards: on one hand we want to spread the hatred
against a community (to gain the other votes), and on the other, we
also want to remain safe and secure from the clutches of law (and
reprisal from the obvious people). So, it is the responsibility of the
election commission to question the eye-witnesses in Pilibhit or other
areas: whether they tell a lie or truth - both ways it will expose our
hypocrisy.

Javed


On Sun, Mar 22, 2009 at 8:51 AM, Rakesh Iyer <rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear all
>
> Another audio record has cropped up for Varun Gandhi. This is even more
> interesting, for it makes derogatory references not only to Muslims, but
> also to Sikhs.
>
> Read this:
>
> http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-logon-ko-pakad-pakad-ke-nasbandi-karana-padega/437496/
>
> ‘In logon ko pakad pakad ke nasbandi karana padega’
>  Font Size <javascript:increaseFontSize();> <javascript:decreaseFontSize();>
> *D K Singh <http://www.indianexpress.com/columnist/dksingh/>* Posted: Mar
> 22, 2009 at 0125 hrs IST
>  [image: AddThis]<http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=120&winname=addthis&pub=meghna&s=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indianexpress.com%2Fnews%2Fin-logon-ko-pakad-pakad-ke-nasbandi-karana-padega%2F437496%2F&title=%E2%80%98In%20logon%20ko%20pakad%20pakad%20ke%20nasbandi%20karana%20padega%E2%80%99&logo=&logobg=&logocolor=&ate=AT-meghna/-/-/c2b946c9b2694e/2/4784877145424c35&adt=undefined&content=&CXNID=2000001.5215456080540439074NXC>
>  Print <http://www.indianexpress.com/story_print.php?storyid=437496>
> Email<http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-logon-ko-pakad-pakad-ke-nasbandi-karana-padega/437496/#>
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>  **
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>  *New Delhi:* As the Election Commission discussed BJP candidate Varun
> Gandhi’s reply to its notice on his alleged hate speeches, it received
> another complaint today — from Pilibhit
> Congress<http://www.indianexpress.com/special/congress,%20politics/>candidate
> V M Singh, in the form of a 28-minute audio CD of a purported
> speech by Gandhi at Deshnagar in Pilibhit on March 6.
>
> According to the CD, a copy of which has been obtained by The Sunday
> Express, Gandhi’s alleged speech in Deshnagar echoes the hate and vitriol of
> his alleged speeches in Barkhera and, this time, slams Sikhs as well as
> Muslims.
>
> Gandhi is the BJP candidate from Pilibhit. Singh was once close to the
> Maneka Gandhi family.
>
> Excerpts:
>
> • ...Main khada hoon hinduon ke liye...mujhe musalmaan vote nahin
> chahiye...mereko ek bhi nahin chahiye...Na Khalistan se, na Pakistan se...”
> [I am contesting for Hindus, I don’t want the Muslim vote, I don’t want a
> single Muslim vote. Neither from Khalistan nor from Pakistan].
>
> • Maana jayega ki Hindu ka garh hai yeh ki koi kat** apne sir nahin utha
> sakta is chetra main [This will be known as a Hindu bastion, no (derogatory
> reference) Muslim dare raise his head here]
> n In logon ko pakad pakad ke nasbandi karaana padega...nasbandi karaana
> padega. [Need to pick them up, one by one, and sterilise them]
>
> • ...Ek to paagal sardar lad raha hai, jiske har samay barah baje hue
> hain...aur woh ek musalman ka agent ban ke lad raha hai, jo hindu usko lada
> rahe hain...woh hinduon ke sabh se bade gaddar hain...unko sazaye maut honi
> chahiye iske baad. [A deranged Sikh is contesting (a derogatory reference to
> the complainant)...he’s contesting as an agent of Muslims...the Hindus who
> are supporting him are the worst traitors of their community...they should
> be sentenced to death after this election].
>
> • Boli se main jitna samarthan Hinduon ka doonga, usse zaada main goliyon se
> samarthan unka doonga [More than my words in support of Hindus, will be my
> bullets] Despite repeated attempts, Gandhi was not available for comment.
>
> In his complaint, Singh has told the EC that the audio recording was
> obtained through one of the residents of Pilibhit who wants that his name
> not be disclosed for fear of repercussions. Singh claims to have “verified
> the contents” of the recording from “some residents of Desh Nagar who were
> present at the meeting.”
>
> Reacting to Gandhi’s claim on the earlier CDs that those had been tampered
> with, CEC N Gopalaswami has said that it’s up to Gandhi to prove that. Also,
> speaking in Bhubaneswar yesterday, the CEC said there was no reason for the
> EC to believe that the CDs were doctored.
>
>
> What a shame that what the VHP used to say (and hence the EC could take no
> action), now the BJP candidates are saying. Soon, there could be a day when
> their prime-ministerial candidate would be also saying such things, and that
> man could soon be Narendra Modi (after Advani goes away).
>
> I think two things are very necessary from here:
>
> 1) Varun Gandhi must be sentenced as well as debarred from elections
> forever, to ensure such speeches are never given again.
>
> 2) More importantly, not only the BJP, but any organization like the VHP
> should be banned during election time from giving speeches against any
> religion, on the pretext of communalizing atmosphere, and such people must
> be jailed.
>
>
> Regards
>
> Rakesh
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