Advani is playing the Hindutva game again: Kapil Sibal

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The Varun Gandhi's hate speech saga has taken on proportions far greater than the actual incident and ramifications that go further than most people initially realised. Commeting on the issue, Kapil Sibal from Congress said," Advani is playing the Hindutva game yet again to take political advantage of the situation"

Lyricist Javed Akhtar, said, "The tapes which are a proof of Varun Gandhi's hatred speech cannot be doctored."

Balbir Punj from BJP sais, "Whatever is the content of the CD is not a part of the BJP policy. We completely distance ourselves from that and we don't approve of it"

Tthe Editor of Outlook Vinod Mehta affirms with the views of Javed Aktar. He said, "No, I never had any doubts because every word seems to be very distinct and the EC is completely united."

Here is a verbatim transcript of the exclsive interview on CNBC-TV18. Also watch the accompanying video.

Q: Your party has said that it completely disagrees, dissociates and disapproves the views of Varun Gandhi and yet you all still fielding him as your candidate from Pilibhit, why? That is tantamount to endorsing his views.
Punj: The young man himself has repeatedly denied that those were his views; he has repeatedly asserted that the CD was doctored and in all fairness even natural justice demanded that the CD should have been subjected to forensic examination and only then some conclusion should have been taken.

 

Q: In which case why did you jump to - I am quoting your words, "Completely disagree, dissociate and disapprove of his views." If he says those are not his views and you believed it, why do you dissociate for it?
Punj: Whatever is the content of the CD is not a part of the BJP policy. We completely distance ourselves from that and we don't approve of that.

Q: How is the Congress any better? Dr. Manmohan Singh in parliament apologised for these atrocities against the Sikhs in 1984 and yet this time around you are fielding Jagdish Titler, Sajjan Kumar who are widely accused of being involved in these atrocities. Doesn't that make a complete mockery of the Prime Minister's apology?
Sibal: They are two separate issues altogether. The issue as far as Varun Gandhi is concerned is with a reference to the run-up of the election. The tapes that have been recorded by news channels in this country that have been forwarded to the CEC who had prima facie has said that they are genuine. So, there is prima facie evidence that he has uttered these words and as far as Titler is concerned, trials have gone on throughout these years and at no point in time they have been found guilty.
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