Granting a conditional reprieve to detained BJP leader Varun Gandhi, the Supreme Court today (16th April) ordered his release on parole for two weeks. However, the Supreme Court put a condition on Varun to give an undertaking to Etah jail authorities that he will not make inflammatory speeches. The SC bench was headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.

 

The apex court imposed a stringent condition that Varun will not make any speech against a community, religion, race and disturb public order during the period of parole. Earlier, the 29-year-old BJP candidate from Pilibhit was held under the National Security Act for his alleged communal speech in a public meeting.

 

Meanwhile, both BJP and Congress have viewed the Supreme Court order differently. BJP has welcomed the order of the Supreme Court and indicated that the young leader may campaign for the party candidates in areas other than Pilibhit. On the other hand, Congress said Varun's undertaking to Etah jail authorities that he will not make inflammatory speeches was a virtual admission that the saffron party's Lok Sabha candidate had earlier made hate speeches.