23 Apr 2009,
LUCKNOW: Emotions, shades of agressiveness with tinge of `patriotism' and humour - the speeches of Varun Gandhi at Nawabganj and Bareilly on Wednesday had almost all the elements of a maturing politician. Effort to avoid any legal hassles were evident in whatever the latest poster boy Varun Gandhi said in his maiden speech after his release on parole. He filed his nomination at Pilibhit collectortate at around 2 pm.
Varun's motorcade moved within a heavy security cordon on the route with an armed escort vehicle leading the fleet and half a dozen armed cops around him as personal security officers (PSOs) provided from Delhi and UP police. The venues of Varun's public meetings had heavy deployment of security personnel including jawans from the rapid action force (RAF) and provincial armed constabulary (PAC), apart from the district police as at least video cameras were pressed into operation to shoot each and every movement of the young Gandhi.
Dotted with oneliners like: "Samman ki ladai ladta rahunga" (Will fight for honour), "main chup nahin baithunga" (will not sit back quietly) "Chahe mujhe dobara Etah jaana pade" (Even if I had to go to Etah {Jail?} again), Varun's speech at Nawabganj though had shades of aggressiveness, there were evident efforts to abstain from stepping over the guidelines set by himself in his affidavit submitted before the apex court.
His speech at the second venue - Bareilly - showed a more mature and lively Varun. After a formal appeal for the party candidate from Bareilly, Varun, pointing towards mother Maneka Gandhi who was sitting on the stage, said that his mother cried when he went to jail. "Now you people have to reply to my mothers's tears," Varun said as the crowed shouted in affirmative.
With promises like "main peechhe nahin hatunga" (I will not retreat) and "main aapke bachchon ke samman ke liye jail gaya tha" (I went to jail for the sake of your children's honour and prestige), he claimed that he believed in ahimsa (non-violence) and that his family has taught him not to differentiate between classes and masses. Further, he cautioned: "Agar garibon ke samman ko, kisano ke samman ko, rashtra bhakto ke samman ko koi haani pahunchayega jaise ki 28 tareekh ko Pilibhit mein hua jahan gareeb kison ko goliyan aur laathi khani padi, to main chup nahin baithunga ... chahe mujhe phir Etah jaana parde" (If anyone will dare attack the honour of the poor, the farmers, or the devoted Indians like they did on March 28 in Pilibhit where poor farmers had to face police bullets and laathis, then I will not sit back. Even if it meant going to Etah again)," Varun said amidst thunderous applause.
On a lighter note, moments before Varun concluded his speech, he said: "Kaheen maine kuch galat to nahi kaha...pata chala phir yahan se seedhe Etah jaana pad jaye" (I hope I haven't said anything wrong ... else I might have to go to Etah directly from here). The crowd burst into peels of laughter as Varun left the dais waving to the crowd in appreciation.
However minutes before Varun reached the venue, a few banners and posters reading: "Jo Hindutva ki baat karega wohi desh par raj karega" and "Garv se kaho hum Hindu hain" (Whoever will talk of Hindutva will get to rule India and be proud to say that your are a Hindu) that were hanging on the stage and fluttering near it, were quickly removed. Though the organisers insisted that they had to be removed because of the strong winds, the reason was more than apparent.
At around 2 pm, Varun reached the Pilibhit collectorate where he filed his nomination papers with mother Maneka Gandhi by his side along with a select few party leaders.
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