The Congress party has decided to go after BJP MP Varun Gandhi after a leaked version of his conversation found its way to the media. In the leaked conversation, Varun Gandhi could be heard telling the caller that 9.30 p.m. is not the proper time to call him and he would listen to his grievances the morning after.
श्री. @varungandhi80,
— Sumedh Gaikwad (@sumedhbgaikwad) October 19, 2020
क्या @narendramodi जी आपको रात ९:३० बजे फोन करते तो आप उन्हें भी इसी प्रकार का उत्तर देते ?
माना आप किसी के बाप के नौकर नहीं है पर पिलभित के जनता के लोक प्रतिनिधि तो है, लोगों ने आपको वोट देकर चुना है और आपका १००% कर्तव्य है कि आप उनसे विनम्रता से पेश आए । pic.twitter.com/aLUFGhOmZV
The caller tells Varun Gandhi that he is from Pilibhit to which the elected representative from the constituency says that he should call him the next morning if he has any work. At one point he says, “I am not your father’s servant that I would talk to you at 10 p.m. in the night. If you have work at midnight or 10 p.m., then I am sorry, I cannot speak to you at such a time.”
Ishita Yadav, Parliamentary Secretary of Varun Gandhi, meanwhile, has said on social media that the caller in question was actually someone who had been arrested for selling spurious liquor to underage children. “Varun Gandhi is not going to help shady people like this. He chose to protect the people of Pilibhit instead,” she said while responding to Rohini Singh of The Wire who decided to jump into the scene to pile up on the BJP MP.
Rohini, you should truly be ashamed of yourself. This man called the MP to prevent himself from being arrested for selling spurious alcohol to underage children. Varun Gandhi is not going to help shady people like this. He chose to protect the people of Pilibhit instead. https://t.co/AB68kYmsl8 pic.twitter.com/Eb62Lyjzcc
— Ishita Yadav (@IshitaYadav) October 19, 2020
Ishita Yadav further stated that the audio of the leaked conversation had been cut and edited. The Week has also reported that the caller is one Sarvesh, a resident of Shivaji Colony in Pilibhit’s Sunghadi area. The police had recovered 20 bottles of country-made liquor and he was let off after furnishing two bail bonds worth Rs. 20,000 each.
Thus, Varun Gandhi’s decision to not entertain the caller appears to be the ethically correct one too. It is quite obvious that Sarvesh had called Varun Gandhi for help with the police. While the media appears bent on creating a controversy, it is entirely legitimate that even an elected representative to the Parliament would not be available to receive calls at odd times during the day. Furthermore, Varun Gandhi says repeatedly that he is willing to hear his concerns the next morning.
Even so, the expectation that politicians should be available to speak to their constituents at all times during the day is rather unjustified. Politicians are, after all, humans and it is only natural that thy may not b willing to speak to strangers after a certain point at night.
