Doing a balancing act on l'affaire Varun Gandhi, senior BJP leader L K Advani today asserted that the party took the "correct stand" in rejecting Election Commission's advice not to field him for the polls but said every BJP candidate must exercise restraint in their utterances.

Breaking his silence on the l'affaire Varun, since his hate speeches triggered a political storm a fortnight back, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate said, " the party(BJP) has taken a correct stand under the law and in accordance with Constitution" in rejecting the advice.

Advani, who faced Congress criticism for remaining silent on the controversy, was asked whether the party would deny ticket to Varun in view of the EC advice and demands that he be not fielded for the Lok Sabha election. Varun is BJP's nominee from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.

Advani however counselled his party candidates to show restraint in their speeches during the poll campaigns, a plea seen as a mild censure of young Varun for his alleged anti-Muslim speeches made in Pilibhit early this month.

He said the BJP has disassociated itself from the content of the hate speeches purported to have been made by Gandhi, who, however, has said that they were "doctored".

Wondering over the Election Commission's recommendation to the party not to give ticket to Gandhi, Advani said this has happened for the first time in the last 60 years.

"I would like every candidate of my party to exercise restraint in his utterances. There should be peace," Advani said.

Noting that such powers as exercised in the Varun case have not been given to the EC by the Constitution or the law, Advani said, "So far as party is concerned.....The party has taken correct stand under the law and according to Constitution. I will ask government to act accordingly."

"At the moment I have nothing more to add on this issue," he said, when he was told that the EC is saying the tape is not doctored.

A day after Varun Gandhi surrendered before a Pilibhit court and arrested turning the entire event into a political spectacle, BJP's prime ministerial candidate met the media mainly to make demands for unearthing Indian black money stashed in foreign banks.