Rajnath, Lalji want to be arrested, cops say no
The BJP, which had jumped into the thick of state elections without any emotive issue, finally seems to be playing along the controversy generated by the controversial CD.
By TNN |
LUCKNOW: The BJP, which had jumped into the thick of state elections without any emotive issue, finally seems to be playing along the controversy generated by the controversial CD.
Party president Rajnath Singh along with former deputy prime minister L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, reached the Hazratganj police station on Monday to court arrest before the police in the case of an FIR lodged against him for the release of a CD.
Amid slogan-shouting cadres, Rajnath Singh and leader of opposition in the assembly, Lalji Tandon offered to surrender before the police only to be told that there was still no evidence against them and an arrest was not required. SSP Jyoti Narain informed the media, “We told the two leaders that the investigations are still in the preliminary stage and no evidence has been gathered against them in the controversial CD case, hence no arrest was required as of now.”
The BJP had released a poll propaganda CD last week, which had generated heat over allegations of provocative content leading to the party withdrawing it a day later. Lalji Tandon who had released the CD had stated that though he had released it at a function he had neither seen it nor ordered its making. The party instead sacked its spokesperson Manoj Mishra holding him responsible.
The BJP which had been trying hard to reinforce its nationalist and hardline image has through the CD controversy seemed to have gained some success. With some TV channels beaming some portions of the CD through the day and lot of talk about it due the headlines it has generated, the BJP is now trying to encash the issue.
Asked whether the BJP was trying to gain political mileage out of the CD, LK Advani said, “If our opponents implicate us wrongly and handover an issue to us, why wouldn’t we try and capitalise on it?” Mr Advani said, “I had some inkling that the police would not arrest Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon, but when they have lodged an FIR we would definitely try to be on the safe side and appear before the authorities.”
Party president Rajnath Singh along with former deputy prime minister L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, reached the Hazratganj police station on Monday to court arrest before the police in the case of an FIR lodged against him for the release of a CD.
Amid slogan-shouting cadres, Rajnath Singh and leader of opposition in the assembly, Lalji Tandon offered to surrender before the police only to be told that there was still no evidence against them and an arrest was not required. SSP Jyoti Narain informed the media, “We told the two leaders that the investigations are still in the preliminary stage and no evidence has been gathered against them in the controversial CD case, hence no arrest was required as of now.”
The BJP had released a poll propaganda CD last week, which had generated heat over allegations of provocative content leading to the party withdrawing it a day later. Lalji Tandon who had released the CD had stated that though he had released it at a function he had neither seen it nor ordered its making. The party instead sacked its spokesperson Manoj Mishra holding him responsible.
The BJP which had been trying hard to reinforce its nationalist and hardline image has through the CD controversy seemed to have gained some success. With some TV channels beaming some portions of the CD through the day and lot of talk about it due the headlines it has generated, the BJP is now trying to encash the issue.
Asked whether the BJP was trying to gain political mileage out of the CD, LK Advani said, “If our opponents implicate us wrongly and handover an issue to us, why wouldn’t we try and capitalise on it?” Mr Advani said, “I had some inkling that the police would not arrest Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon, but when they have lodged an FIR we would definitely try to be on the safe side and appear before the authorities.”
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