NEW DELHI - Senior Congress leader Arjun Singh on Saturday expressed regret on the detention of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi under the National Security Act.

Talking to reporters about the recent controversy on Varun Gandhi’s anti-Muslim remarks in an election rally in Pilibhit and the slapping of NSA against him by the Mayawati-led Uttar Pradesh government, he said, ” It is unfortunate.”

After his alleged hate speech came out in the media and a court disallowed him to extend his anticipatory bail in the case, the Uttar Pradesh police, last month, booked Varun Gandhi under the National Security Act.

Varun Gandhi had subsequently surrendered before a local court in Pilibhit and was sent to the district jail there. He was later shifted to Etah jail.

Varun had also moved the Supreme Court challenging the charges against him under NSA. He said that the CD containing his speech was tampered with.

Agitated over the whole issue, BJP president Rajnath Singh said in a meeting yesterday that he would be visiting Varun Gandhi in jail on Monday. He warned that the BJP would not sit quiet and will “take the issue to the people of the country”.

His statement came after BJP leader Venkiah Naidu visited Varun on April 2, and alleged that Varun Gandhi had been harassed and tortured in the jail. (ANI)