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[[Image:varungandhi70.png|thumb|right|alt=Varun Gandhi]]
[[Image:varungandhi70.png|thumb|right|alt=Varun Gandhi]]


[[Image:varungandhi80.png|thumb|left|alt=Varun Gandhi]]
[[Image:varungandhi80.png|thumb|right|alt=Varun Gandhi]]


He pointed out that he saw politics as a platform to work for the nation, and not opportunism. "I believe in service before self and I believe that we must look to actualising our vision for India before we look for furthering our political ambitions," he said, when his detractors accused him of opportunism. "Is seeking a platform to work opportunism? Isn’t joining a political outfit on Monday to gain a ticket to fight an election on Tuesday opportunism? How can I be accused of this when I am not even old enough to get a ticket," he clarified.<ref name="feroze varun gandhi">{{Cite web|url=http://politics.allindiansite.com/varun_gandhi_o.html|title=feroze varun gandhi|publisher=www.allindiasite.com|date=2010-03-18}}</ref>
He pointed out that he saw politics as a platform to work for the nation, and not opportunism. "I believe in service before self and I believe that we must look to actualising our vision for India before we look for furthering our political ambitions," he said, when his detractors accused him of opportunism. "Is seeking a platform to work opportunism? Isn’t joining a political outfit on Monday to gain a ticket to fight an election on Tuesday opportunism? How can I be accused of this when I am not even old enough to get a ticket," he clarified.<ref name="feroze varun gandhi">{{Cite web|url=http://politics.allindiansite.com/varun_gandhi_o.html|title=feroze varun gandhi|publisher=www.allindiasite.com|date=2010-03-18}}</ref>

Revision as of 17:28, 7 April 2010

Feroze Varun Gandhi
File:Varun Gandhi.JPG
Member of Parliament, Pilibhit
In office
16 May 2009 - (Incumbent)
ConstituencyPilibhit
Personal details
BornElection Commission Of India
(1980-03-13) 13 March 1980 (age 44)
New Delhi, Delhi
DiedElection Commission Of India
Resting placeElection Commission Of India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
ChildrenNo
Parent
  • Election Commission Of India
ResidenceNew Delhi
Alma materUniversity of London
SalaryRs. 32,000[1]
Websitehttp://www.varungandhi.net.in/
As of 16 May, 2009
Source: [1]

Feroze Varun Gandhi (born 13 March 1980, Delhi, India) is an Indian politician. He is the son of the late Sanjay Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi, and a member of the Nehru-Gandhi Political Clan. In May 2009, Varun Gandhi was elected into the 15th Lok Sabha of India by a victory margin of nearly 300,000 votes. He procured around 429,000 votes, which was the highest margin for a newcomer, and second highest margin in the House. Gandhi is a member of the BJP National Executive. He is also the youngest appointed National Secretary in the history of the BJP.[2]

Early life

Feroze Varun Gandhi is the son of Sanjay Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi, the son and daughter-in-law of the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Feroze Varun Gandhi was 3 months old when his father was killed in a plane crash.

Varun with his grandmother, Indira Gandhi
Varun with his grandmother, Indira Gandhi.

On 31 October 1984, when Feroze Varun Gandhi was 4 years old, his grandmother and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was assassinated by her bodyguards.

Varun's mother, apart from being a political opponent of the Indian National Congress, is an animal rights' activist of international stature. She used her famous name to direct attention in the country towards animal welfare. She has set up a nationwide organization called People For Animals (PFA).

Varun's great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first Prime Minister of India, and his great-great-grandfather Motilal Nehru was a distinguished leader of the Indian independence movement. His grandfather Feroze Gandhi was a Parsi parliamentarian and the husband of Indira Gandhi.

Varun Gandhi

Indira Gandhi is said to have been very fond of Varun, and was greatly distressed when Varun's mother left the household[3]. In an interview, Varun suggested that he feels a bond with the Nehru-Gandhi family, even though he belongs to a rival political party. Varun has claimed that Indira Gandhi did not force his mother Maneka Gandhi to leave, she left on her own.

He started his education at Modern School, New Delhi. After finishing the fourth standard, he transferred to the Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh, India. He then went on to The British School, New Delhi, studying for his UK secondary exam board GCSEs and A levels. He obtained his BSc in Economics from the University of London External System.

Varun Gandhi

Career

Varun was exposed to politics from an early age as his mother, Maneka Gandhi, was politically active since his birth.[citation needed]

1999

Varun Gandhi

In August 1999, at the age of 19, Feroze Varun Gandhi was active in his mother's Pilibhit constituency. He kicked off his career in politics with the words “Main neta to nahin hoon, jo bhashan doon, main sirf aapse baat karne aaya hoon”. (“I am no politician that I make speeches, I've only come to speak to you”). He spoke to the people with easy familiarity, and said that he did not believe in charisma. "In the long run, people respect the work you have done," he said. This easy familiarity with the voters and identification with real issues have, since then, remained his trademark.[4] Maneka made Varun accompany her in meetings. Varun started addressing public meetings during this election campaign.[5]

Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi

2000

A prolific and precocious reader with excellent literary taste, he authored his own volume of poetry at the young age of 20, entitled ‘The Otherness of Self’, illustrated by top Indian artists Anjolie Ela Menon, Manjit Bawa and Manu Parekh.[6] His book launch was marked by an assembly of leaders cutting across all parties and political affiliations. The book itself was well received earning widespread admiration for the sensitive and well-spoken young poet. Asked what drew him to poetry, Varun Gandhi, explained: “Because it is so precise and illustrates the strength of language.”[7]

Varun Gandhi

Apart from poetry Varun Gandhi has written widely on issues of National security and external affairs.[8]

Unlike other young people of his generation, he had always had a deep interest in politics believing that one must participate in the system in order to change it.[citation needed]

Varun Gandhi

2004

Varun Gandhi

In February 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with his mother after being convinced to do so by BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan.[9] His joining the BJP was hyped by the BJP with general secretary Pramod Mahajan claiming that "With Varun joining BJP, half the Congress will be with us..."[10]

Choosing to join the BJP was a considered decision, realising that it was bound to raise eyebrows given his family legacy. Varun had the courage to be able to chart his own course based on conviction rather than convenience. He has always believed that simply being a Gandhi could not be considered sufficient political contribution in a country that needed effective leadership to achieve its true potential. The congress had dwindled into a collection of lackeys and self-servers, and was no longer the party of his forbears. The BJP, on the other hand, represented a strong nationalist party that was committed to a proud and prosperous India. Gandhi recalled the historic relationship of his family with the Congress, which had "a tradition of self-sacrifice, national pride and independence of spirit." While remaining loyal to those ideals, he had decided to join the BJP so that "we can continue on a pro-active path of economic and social reform to take our place as the world's greatest democracy." He juxtaposed this with the other path, which would be "to return to populist policies and quick-fix solutions." [11]

Varun Gandhi

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee posed before the media with Maneka Gandhi and Varun after which the BJP held a media event presided over by the then BJP president Venkaiah Naidu[12] . The president of the Indian National Congress and Varun's aunt, Sonia, wished him success in his career in politics.[13] She later said that Maneka and Varun's joining BJP was "painful as the Nehru-Gandhi family had always fought against communalism".[14]

Varun Gandhi was not yet 25 during the 2004 General Elections, and therefore could not contest. However he campaigned extensively for the party, drawing huge crowds and acclaim for his fluent speaking style. He was considered by party seniors and political analysts to be a young political leader wise beyond his years.[15]

Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi

He pointed out that he saw politics as a platform to work for the nation, and not opportunism. "I believe in service before self and I believe that we must look to actualising our vision for India before we look for furthering our political ambitions," he said, when his detractors accused him of opportunism. "Is seeking a platform to work opportunism? Isn’t joining a political outfit on Monday to gain a ticket to fight an election on Tuesday opportunism? How can I be accused of this when I am not even old enough to get a ticket," he clarified.[16]

He also brushed off reports that claimed he had only entered politics to compete with his cousins. "There is a generation gap between me and my cousins. They are 34 and I am only 24. So obviously my reasons too will be different. For one, I am not going to contest the elections. Besides, the position is not inherited. It has to be earned. For me this is the time to develop the tools to communicate my message to the people. Campaigning is a very rewarding experience. The response has been very humbling," he said.[16]

Varun was used as a star campaigner by the BJP in the 2004 elections. He, however, refused to attack his family consisting of his cousins Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and his aunt Sonia Gandhi.[citation needed] "Personally, I have great respect for my aunt and the hard work she has put in throughout this campaign is really admirable. However when compared with a man of Vajpayee’s experience, I find that there is no comparison about who is to be the prime minister," he said.[16]

In October 2004, when campaigning for the BJP in Maharashtra assembly elections, he questioned the Congress as to what it had done for minorities in the past 50 years.[17]

In November 2004, he was inducted into the BJP national executive.[citation needed]

2006

Varun Gandhi

In 2006, the BJP asked him to contest the by-election to Lok Sabha from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, a seat vacated by Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Chauhan.[18] The party backtracked later denying Varun the ticket.[19] The party then offered Varun a seat to contest from Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur constituency, but this time Varun refused the seat.[20]

2008

In January 2008, the media reported that his mother Maneka Gandhi would vacate her five-time constituency of Pilibhit for Varun during the 2009 elections, while she will contest from neighboring Aonla. BJP decided to field Varun Gandhi from the Pilibhit Lok sabha seat for general election 2009.[21].

2009

Varun Gandhi was elected into the 15th Lok Sabha of India by a victory margin of nearly 300,000 votes. He procured around 429,000 votes. Highest margin for a newcomer, and second highest margin in the House.[citation needed]

During election 2009, Varun Gandhi was being hailed as a potential leader of the main opposition, the Hindu nationalist BJP, and possible future Prime Minister. "He is an organiser, a good orator, and he really connects with people. He was brought up in a single parent family and has learned everything by himself," said political strategist Rajesh Dixit. "He is his father's son," Dixit said, adding that he had to fight for his ambition and had developed a gritty ambition. The Congress feared the rise of a powerful and strong youth leader in the otherwise lacklustre opposition party.[22]

Varun Gandhi

In September 2009, Gandhi became the first parliamentarian to be invited to address the prestigious Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF), a Houston-based Indian community group, on its 21st anniversary.[23]. Gandhi spoke on a number of issues such as poverty, healthcare and education.[23]

2010

Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi

In January 2010, a large section of the BJP was projecting Varun Gandhi as the future face of the party in the country, especially Uttar Pradesh. A public rally addressed by him in Sultanpur, in December 2009, drew a larger crowd than any of the events hosted by the BJP in the recent past. The RSS sees him as the only hope for strengthening the party's presence in Uttar Pradesh.[24]

In March 2010, Varun was appointed National Secretary of the BJP. This appointment made him the youngest person in the history of the BJP to be made National Secretary. Sources in the BJP said that he would be given the post of UP BJP president just ahead of the next assembly elections in 2012.[2]

Speaking of Gandhi's nomination as National Secretary, BJP president Nitin Gadkari said, "Varun Gandhi is one of the most popular leaders in the country right now. He is an MP from Uttar Pradesh and one of our best youth faces. He is one of the most dynamic leaders from Generation Next. Let’s not mix the Gandhi angle here. Rahul Gandhi is with the Congress and Varun Gandhi with the BJP. We don’t need to counter Rahul Gandhi."[25]

On March 30, Varun Gandhi addressed a rally in Saharanpur, in which he called for a complete ban on cow slaughter. . “If somebody attacks my mother, would I not stand in front of her to protect her? Cow-slaughter is not only a social crime it is also a criminal act but not a single case has been filed,” he said. “Why are we silent on this issue?” he added, as the crowds put their hands up in support of the cause.[26]

He also referred to the stampede in Kripalu Maharaj’s ashram in Pratapgarh in which 65 people were killed, saying, “there is money for Rs 5-Crore, Rs 10-Crore garlands but when it comes to giving compensation, the government says it has no money. It has done ‘murtikaran’ (filled the city with Mayawati’s statues) of Lucknow.” Raising the issue of Bareilly riots, Shri Gandhi wondered if the violence was a “well-thought out game-plan” of the Mayawati regime.[27]

He said he was in politics to serve and had no love for any post or power. "Fighting for the poor of the nation is a long struggle that people from well-off families are not interested in. I want to produce at least one lakh Varun Gandhis who will fight that war."[28]

Views

BBC HARDtalk

In October 2005, he was interviewed by Stephen Sackur of BBC's HARDtalk[29].

Varun Gandhi

He was asked why he joined the BJP when his Nehru-Gandhi family has traditionally led the Indian National Congress, Varun said, "It was not so much a party as a set of ideologies that my family has stood for and I abide by those values. In recent times, the BJP had come to represent those values of nationalism and even secularism.[citation needed]

He defended his father Sanjay Gandhi as someone who had helped revive the industrialisation of India by starting a car manufacturing plant Maruti Udyog and whose strategy helped Congress party's comeback[30].

He said that he felt his father being portrayed as the face of the Emergency, was slightly untrue and unfair. He said that the imposition of Emergency was due to a set of circumstances which had little to do with his father personally. "However both my father and my grandmother did apologise for the Emergency and were voted back with a historical majority, a fact that answers a lot of questions," he said. Adding, "Wherever I go in this country people tell me had Sanjay been alive India would not have been in the state it is in today. People see him as a visionary with an unfinished dream. I hope that I can be part of the team that endeavours to compete that dream."[16]

Varun Gandhi

Education

While addressing the prestigious Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) in Houston, Varun said that he had an "idealistic vision of a new, efficient and reinvigorated India."[31].

Varun criticised the current education system in India. He said, "Officially there are only about 70 lakh children outside the school system. But of the 13 crore children in elementary school, we have a drop-out rate of over 50%. Worst of all, the govt education that we provide is entirely meaningless. The syllabus is over 30 years old, the books are written by bureaucrats or their relatives, the information is skewed and inessential."[31].

Varun Gandhi

He also added that the debate that the Education Ministry generates is never about the quality of education and whether it equips the poorest child in the poorest village with the requisite knowledge to cope in the outside world, but that it is about how many exams we should have in one year, how many schools should be built, whether and what student quotas or reservations should be introduced and whether the midday meal should consist of fresh or packaged food and whether it is getting past the principal’s family or not. "The quality of teachers and teaching material is seen as irrelevant. So our children will graduate from school with full stomachs but empty minds," he said.[31].

Varun said that emphasis should be laid on skill–based education, while comparing India's workforce with its 2 per cent skill training to that of Korea with 96 per cent, and Japan with 80 per cent. "Our agricultural universities have no reference to local agro-climatic situations. For example, in the current drought situation, we find we have no drought resistant seeds. Instead of experimenting, innovating and developing practical applications, they concentrate on outdated and cumbersome theory. There are no skill updation institutes for farmers, no formalised training institutes to teach them modern agricultural practices, or how to value add to produce, or even simple marketing techniques. The Krishi Vigyan Kendras which were set up 60 years ago, shut shop 30 years ago leaving a thirty year gap in agricultural knowledge. The result is that though we had plenty of warning about the impending monsoon failure, no anticipatory action were taken because we have no trained people either in our agricultural fields or in policy making," he said.[31].

Varun Gandhi

Varun said that it was up to the young people to guide India's destiny in the future, to have a special interest in maintaining the national honor. "We cannot stand on the outside and complain about the system, we have to work from within to change it," he said.[citation needed]

Healthcare

Varun has widely spoken on the issue of Healthcare. He believes that one of the most important challenges in health reform is to design workable systems for rural idea. "Given the discrepancy in earnings between private and public medical practitioners, how do we deliver competent healthcare in villages? Primary health centres in West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar cope with less than 20 per cent of the allocated staff. One way might be to strengthen local systems of medicine, like ayurveda and homeopathy. Gujarat has tackled the problem through improved connectivity, creating an ambulance service that responds within half an hour to take villagers to medical help. What I would like to see is a programme of health education targeted at women, designed to prevent diseases like malaria, TB and diabetes, that are needlessly killing us. Medical infrastructure must be provided at the district level so as to reduce the crush of patients in cities. I would like to see an increased emphasis on prevention alongside cure," he says.[31]

Varun Gandhi

At the Indo-American Charity Foundation (IACF) in Houston, he said that sometimes sensible simple solutions will do. "In villages, a lot of people who claim blindness, turn out to be just in need of spectacles. Primary health centres have no specialists, so villagers have no access to eye-tests and glasses. One NGO, Development Alternatives has started training teams of village youth, equipping them with eye testing kits and selling them glasses, which they sell further for between Rs 50-100. Imagine this being the price between light and darkness."[31]

"Our priorities don't seem right. Every day, 1,100 Indians die of malaria. Yet, our health efforts are preoccupied by international scares like SARs and avian flue and swine flu that peter off into nothing, while our endemic diseases get more dangerous and deadly. Only a healthy nation can be a prosperous and progressive one. Having the security of reliable healthcare allows a society to civilise, specialise and produce Michelangelos and Einsteins. That we see so few new ideas in India is not because we are incapable of them, it is because we simply do not have the time to generate them. With everyone caught up in the everyday struggle of simply staying alive, where is the time to innovate? If we can provide the security of accessible and affordable healthcare, we can find ways to do things differently and better," he added.[31]

Varun Gandhi

Controversies and Critcism

Dalchand

A video emerged allegedly showing Varun Gandhi making communal remarks at a public meeting.[citation needed]

Varun Gandhi

At a meeting in Dalchand locality on 6 March 2009, he is alleged to have said (translated from Hindi) "If any anti-social person lifts a hand against Hindus, or thinks they are weak, there is nobody behind them, then I swear on the Bhagavad Gita that I will cut off that hand"[32][33]. However, no evidence of ownership or authenticity of this CD has ever been released. No newspaper, TV channel or radio station has claimed its ownership or has provided an alternative version recorded by their own - either to support or dispute the authenticity of the recording in question. No one has come as witness with a claim that he or she was present at the rally/meeting which the alleged event took place. Despite lack of proof, he was jailed under the National Security Act.[34]

A large number of bloggers on the internet came out to show their support for this young Gandhi. They collectively criticised the media for being partial towards the ruling government, and for criticising Varun over a tape whose authenticity had not been proved. The supporters said that the media's attack on Gandhi was part of a vicious witch-hunt, and that the Indian media had forgotten the use of the words “alleged” or “reported”, words that are used even for hardcore criminals until they are convicted.[35]

Everyone in the mainstream media was accused of being keen to outdo one another while criticising Varun, behaving as if they were present at the place where Varun Gandhi had made that alleged speech. The rise of Varun Gandhi was seen as a threat by many in politics, especially the Indian National Congress, and many people were said to have had a vested interest in maligning him and putting him out of the scene.[35]

Varun Gandhi

People argued that the lip movements of Varun Gandhi did not sync with his words in the more controversial portions of these videos. The videos looked like the work of an amateur - Choppy videos, unconnected sentences, mismatching accent. But the mainstream media ignored all these points.[35]

Many questions were raised regarding the authenticity of the tape, and of the mainstream media's witch-hunt against Gandhi. Some of the points raised were:

1. Which TV channel/s does the video belong to? Why has no channel said, “it is our video, our correspondent was there, so Varun Gandhi’s denials are meaningless”? I cannot imagine the speech was not covered by a major TV channel.[35]

2. Why are all the channels rewinding and replaying footage from a single source, whose identity nobody is revealing? In today’s anti-Varun world such a person would have become a hero, if they had nothing to hide. So why are they hiding?[35]

Varun Gandhi

3. Varun Gandhi was interviewed by major news networks and some established news reporters like Deepak Chaurasia of Star News, Navika Kumar of Times Now, a reporter from CNN-IBN. Why did the news networks not send someone who was at the original speech to confront him and interview him? Just look at the videos linked. Why were they nice while interviewing him, and are merciless while tearing him apart behind him?[35]

4. The controversial speech was supposed to have taken place on March 5. Why was it not reported on the evening of March 5 or on March 6? If it did not create any communal disturbances on March 5, why did it suddenly become worthy of promulgating NSA 11 days later?[35]

5. Vaiko’s statements about LTTE, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s statements about rolling Varun over, Sanjay Dutt’s statements about his being ill-treated for having a Muslim mother, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s sexist statements about a lady officer in his constituency, were all reported my major TV channels on the day the statements were made, not days later. Why did that not happen in case of Varun Gandhi?[35]

Varun Gandhi

6. Why is there still no sign of a forensic analysis of the video, more than one month after the alleged speech? Who is sleeping over it? We were told that Varun refused to give a sample of his voice without a lawyer present. Who are they kidding? Are there no video- or audio-interviews of him in public domain, that are definitely his interviews by major TV channels – BBC, CNN-IBN, Star News?[35]

7. Why have the news channels not interviewed even one eyewitness from Pilibhit who would say he/she was there when Varun Gandhi made those statements? On the other hand I have seen people being interviewed who would say they don’t know about it because they weren’t there. Then there is this report from Pilibhit that says he didn’t say any such thing. Why don’t such statements get reported on the “mainstream” media?[35]

8. If the media and the government think that such speech causes communal disturbances and have locked up the “originator” of such speech, why is the speech itself being played over and over again? Is it to cause communal disturbances?[35]

Varun Gandhi

The Varun Gandhi controversy was said to be the biggest media scam of the decade.[35]

The Election Commission of India directed the Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh to file a case under Indian Penal Code and Representation of the People Act against Varun Gandhi and issued a notice to him for violation of Model Code of Conduct.[36] The Election Commission had served Varun Gandhi a Show Cause notice asking him to reply by 11 am on 20 March 2009.[citation needed]

The newspaper Tribune Chandigarh reported that some Sikhs and Muslims who attended the meeting denied that Varun spoke against any community, terming the charges against him as a political conspiracy.[37]. “A large number of Sikhs and Muslims made it a point to attend Varun’s rally. He has never said a word against any community, be it Sikhs or Muslims,” said Amarjit Singh, a farmer of Gajraula Patti village in Pilibhit.[37].

People from the Sikh and Muslim communities also came out in large numbers to support him. “If Varun has said anything about a community, why aren’t leaders and members of that community protesting? It is totally a political conspiracy,” said a villager, Mahal Singh of Arjunpur. They called it a conspiracy by the Congress and the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party, to pull down the "rising star". "The Congress does not want any other Gandhi to go above Rahul Gandhi,” said Aslam Quraishi of Puranpur village.[37].

While defending his speech, Varun Gandhi said "I am a Gandhi, a Hindu and an Indian in the equal measure."[38]

On 22 March 2009, the Election Commission of India asked the BJP not to nominate Varun as a candidate for the 2009 General Elections. The Election Commission informed the BJP, since the party disowned the comments made, if party nominated him as a candidate then whatever he mentioned in the 'Hate Speech' would be treated as the party's policies.[39] However, the BJP said that it was not in the domain of the Election Commission to dictate to political parties which candidates to field and which to not? The BJP also raised questions on the non-partiality of the controversial Election Commissioner Navin Chawla and his alleged proximity to the Congress party.[citation needed]

BJP president Rajnath Singh has said that the recording is doctored and the BJP will not accept the commission's advice.[40].

On 29 March, Varun Gandhi surrendered before the local court in Pilibhit after his anticipatory bail expired and was arrested and jailed [41]. He was granted a two week parole on 16 April [42] and filed his nomination as a candidate in Pilibhit on 22 April.[43]

Varun Gandhi

On 8 May, The State Advisory Board of the Allahabad High Court recommended the revocation of the National Security Act (NSA) slapped on Bharatiya Janata Party’s Pilibhit candidate Varun Gandhi. It cited lack of sufficient grounds to press forward the case under the law against him. However, the state government of Uttar Pradesh led by Mayawati refused to budge and approached the Supreme Court against this decision.[citation needed]

On 14 May 2009, the Supreme Court of India was not satisfied by the state government's request for the continuation of NSA against Varun Gandhi, and it asked the state government to forthwith rescind the NSA order. The state government promptly complied. The Supreme Court revoked the restrictions imposed by the Uttar Pradesh state government surrounding his arrest and parole [44].

On 16 May,that Varun won Pilibhit parliamentary seat, defeating his near contender Mr. V.M. Singh by a huge margin of nearly 300,000 votes.[45]

College degrees

It had been widely reported that Varun Gandhi held college degrees from the London School of Economics (LSE) and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), both in London, United Kingdom. [46],[47]. On 19 March 2009 Varun Gandhi's lawyers presented a writ petition to the Allahabad High Court, requesting that the criminal charges against him be dismissed[48]. The petition was back by a sworn affidavit from Varun Gandhi. In the petition, it was claimed:

Varun Gandhi
“That the petitioner is a well-educated and peace-loving citizen and has done his BSc Economics from the London School of Economics in the year 1999 till 2002, and thereafter went on to do his MSc in public policy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, in the year 2002-2004”[49]

On 30 March 2009, the Indian Express ran a story with statements from administrators at the LSE and SOAS refuting the claim that Varun Gandhi held degrees from those institutions. Varun Gandhi's undergraduate degree was earned through the University of London External System. An Alumni Relations officer from SOAS stated: “Feroze Varun Gandhi withdrew from his MSc programme at SOAS, and hence did not actually graduate from SOAS.”[50].

Varun Gandhi

On 10 April 2009, the Indian Express published a response from Varun Gandhi. Gandhi acknowledged that both were external degrees, sponsored by the institutions, and "They enjoy exactly the same academic and intellectual standing as degrees awarded to internal candidates taught on-site." He states that he studied from India for personal reasons and to set an example for Indian students who can earn "degrees without incurring the huge costs that travelling abroad entails for their families and the country's precious foreign exchange resources"[51]. "Both external degrees are sponsored by these institutions, taught according to their own internal standards and are examined by academics at the LSE and SOAS. These are not honorary degrees, nor are they available to purchase for a fee," he said.[52]

He also added, "I am given to understand that certain people have been motivated to sign false petitions insinuating that I have falsely claimed to possess academic qualifications that I do not have. They are doing so at a time when my detention constrains my efforts to defend my good name and the honour of my family. Such acts of malice have no place in a fair and just society.”[52]

The Indian Express concluded that "In the opinion of the LSE and SOAS faculty and officials the report quoted, this meant his degree was not from their institutions"[51]. India Today reported that Varun had studied abroad, failing to complete a law degree at the University of Durham, where he lived off an allowance of £1,500 a month[53].

See also

References

  1. ^ "Salary of meneber of Parliyament".
  2. ^ a b "Gadkari's new team: Varun chosen as youth icon by the BJP". IBNLIVE.COM. 2010-03-17. Retrieved 2010-03-16.
  3. ^ Indira Gandhi: the last post By Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Published by Popular Prakashan, 1985
  4. ^ "Enter another Gandhi -- Maneka launches son". Indian Express. 30 August 1999. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  5. ^ "Feroze Varun attempts to impress with `sincerity'". Indian Express. 2 September 1999. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  6. ^ "Sightings". The Hindu. 29 October 2000. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  7. ^ Frame by frame http://www.indianexpress.com/news/frame-by-frame/436181/
  8. ^ "A security plan for India". the organiser. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2006-03-19.
  9. ^ "The Nehru/Gandhi dynasty". Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  10. ^ "Feroze Varun Gandhi to join BJP". Sify. 12 February 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  11. ^ "maneka, varun join BJP". The Hindu. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2004-02-17.
  12. ^ "Politics of Indira's grandchildren". The Hindu. 18 February 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  13. ^ "Sonia wishes Varun success". The Hindu. 17 February 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  14. ^ "Varun move pains Sonia". The Telegraph. 28 February 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  15. ^ "Varun Campaigns for BJP in Gujarat". The Hindu. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2004-03-14.
  16. ^ a b c d "feroze varun gandhi". www.allindiasite.com. 2010-03-18.
  17. ^ "Congress has no concern for minorities: Varun Gandhi". Sify. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  18. ^ "Stage set for another Gandhi in House". The Telegraph. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  19. ^ "Varun Gandhi denied LS ticket from Vidisha". Times of India. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  20. ^ "Gorakhpur MP Yogi threatens to field rebels". Times of India. 16 March 2007. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  21. ^ List of the BJP candidates for Lok Sabha Election 2009 for Uttar Pradesh finalised by BJP Central Election Committee
  22. ^ "Black Sheep of Gandhi Family Tipped As Future Prime Minister". the daily telegraph. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
  23. ^ a b "Varun Gandhi To Address The Prestigious Indo-American Charity Foundation of Houston". vgindia.blogspot. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  24. ^ "With RSS push, is Varun poised for a BJP 'post'?". The Times of India. 2010-01-10. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  25. ^ "Narendra Modi Is Not A Blot On The Party". Tehelka. 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  26. ^ "varungandhiplaystohindutvagallery". Indian Express. 2010-03-31. Retrieved 2010-03-29. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  27. ^ "varungandhiplaystohindutvagallery". Indian Express. 2010-03-31. Retrieved 2010-03-29. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  28. ^ "varungandhiplaystohindutvagallery". Indian Express. 2010-03-31. Retrieved 2010-03-29. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  29. ^ Varun Gandhi defends Atal, Advani http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1261829.cms
  30. ^ SOAS Student Varun Gandhi promulgates Hindutva fascism on BBC http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7931724498266205861
  31. ^ a b c d e f g "India will be the next superpower". rediff. 2010-03-19.
  32. ^ http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/varun-gandhis-hatemuslim-speech-makes-his-bjp-squirm/435400/
  33. ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/varun-gandhis-hatemuslim-speech-makes-his/435400/
  34. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/srilanka/5067550/Varun-Gandhi-youngest-scion-of-Nehru-Gandhi-dynasty-is-behind-bars.html
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "varun gandhi videos may be a scam". www.kaulonline.com. 2010-03-18.
  36. ^ http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ec-to-file-criminal-case-against-varun-gandhi/87895-37.html
  37. ^ a b c http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090401/nation.htm#2
  38. ^ Varun Gandhi is one-fourth Hindu
  39. ^ EC finds Varun guilty, condemns him
  40. ^ Varun's candidature will not be cancelled: Rajnath http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200903251751.htm
  41. ^ Varun surrenders amid high drama in Pilibhit http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/29/stories/2009032957300100.htm
  42. ^ SC orders release of Varun on parole
  43. ^ Varun Gandhi files nomination from Pilibhit
  44. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8050026.stm
  45. ^ http://eciresults.nic.in/StateWiseTrends.htm
  46. ^ NDTV: Varun Gandhi: an art lover, LSE grad, now a Hindu hawk
  47. ^ The Daily Beast: Gandhi Family Feud
  48. ^ CNN-IBN: Varun Gandhi moves Allahabad HC challenging FIR
  49. ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/varun-told-hc-he-has-degrees-from-lse-soas-the-institutions-say-he-does-not/440606/0 Indian Express: Varun told HC he has degrees from LSE, SOAS; the institutions say he does not
  50. ^ Varun told HC he has degrees from LSE, SOAS; the institutions say he does not
  51. ^ a b Indian Express: My degrees ‘owned entirely’ by LSE, SOAS: Varun Gandhi
  52. ^ a b "my degrees owned entirely by LSE,SOAS". Indian Express. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
  53. ^ India Today: The Rising Hate Scion
Lok Sabha
Preceded by Member for Pilibhit
2009 – present 		Incumbent
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