The Hindu : New Delhi News : Maneka writes to PM on Varun’s safety

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Maneka writes to PM on Varun’s safety

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: With the arrest of six sharpshooters of the Chota Shakeel gang here and the alleged revelation that they planned to kill lawyer of BJP’s Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi, BJP MP Maneka Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying she was concerned about her son’s safety.

“It is with the deepest concern for my son’s life and safety that I write to you today. This is not the first such incident. An earlier such conspiracy by the same people was unearthed in April this year,” she said in the letter.

Ms. Gandhi said they should be kept informed of such issues so that “we can protect ourselves. I find it bizarre that we have never been informed of any attempts or even been advised on any security precautions. We simply learn of these attempts through the media.”

Ms. Gandhi said she spoke to the Delhi Police Commissioner and he refused to confirm that Mr. Gandhi was the target. While lauding the police for their efficiency in arresting the gangsters, she attacked the Home Ministry, alleging that it had taken these threats “casually.”

Mr. Gandhi, in a statement, said while he was not personally intimidated by such cowardly threats, strong precautions must be taken to defeat the desperate designs of extremist elements.

“The Home Ministry should respond with the urgency and responsibility that behoves those entrusted with the safety of a whole nation,” he said. The MP claimed that it was a plot against his life by dangerous underworld criminals.

Mr. Gandhi said that in spite of a ruthless campaign to target him, he would, as an elected representative of the people, continue to work freely, fairly and fearlessly to promote the interests of his constituency.

Mr. Gandhi appealed to all those concerned for safety to join together to strengthen and protect India against anti-national forces. “Should any harm come to me, I should like to be counted as a solder of that movement.”

The Pilibhit MP invoked the name of his grandmother and the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, who had stated that her “every drop of blood should reinvigorate this nation.”

“I am willing to give my life for a strong and self-reliant India,” Mr. Gandhi said in the statement.

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