The estranged nephew of Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of the Congress party in India, is due in court today, two days after being arrested for anti-Muslim campaign speeches that have catapulted him to the centre of the looming elections.
Varun Gandhi, 29, is expected to apply for bail at the hearing in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where he is running as candidate for the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in next month's parliamentary elections.
Police said yesterday that Mr Gandhi had been charged with rioting and public order offences. His lawyers said it was unclear whether the court would grant him bail given the gravity of the charges, which could get him disqualified from the election and jailed. Analysts said that, either way, the ruling would enhance his sudden emergence as the new darling of India's Hindu right wing - just as the BJP appears to be falling behind Congress in opinion polls.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Varun Gandhi charged over 'anti-Muslim hate speech'
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