Mehbooba for fast tracking Kathua rape case hearing

Mehbooba Mufti’s party had decided it would serve an ultimatum to the BJP to sack the two ministers at a meeting on Saturday where the PDP leadership is to discuss recent developments, including the Kathua gang rape and the killing of civilians in the Valley.

Meanwhile, amid shame and mounting pressure, two so-called ministers from Bharatiya Janata Party, Chowdhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, who had rallied in support of the perpetrators of rape and murder of Aasifa tendered their resignations.

Ministers have said justice will be done no matter who committed the crime, while defending the government’s record on fighting violence against women.

The incident has sent a shockwave across the country triggering a huge uproar.

Madhav is scheduled to chair a BJP meeting in which the decision on the resignations will be taken, sources said.

Taking lonely lead for his party, Union minister VK Singh has joined his voice to the national outrage.

PDP came out with a strong statement blaming the Centre and “hawkish and communal” elements in the BJP for failing the objective of the alliance between the two parties in the state.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh on Friday said that the investigating agency Crime Branch has fairly probed the Kathua rape and murder case and the culprits would be punished as per the law. “We demand the accused should be hanged to death”, a Muslim youth, Jehangir Ahmed Butt, said. “What is the point of ‘beti bachao” [the government’s “save the girl child’ campaign] if investigations and inquiries in such cases are not done in a proper manner and evidence is allowed to be destroyed?”

“Certain amount of discretion should have been maintained”.

The BJP spokesperson accused the agitating lawyer in Jammu who opposed the charge-sheet being filed in the Kathua case as being close to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

On the plea for a CBI probe saying the investigations have been completed in three months and a charge sheet has been submitted in the court. “It is for the court to decide”.

Further defending his party leaders, Madhav said that both the leaders went to pacify the crowd gathering to protest against the Kathua incident but were misunderstood to be a “pro-rapists”.

“If my husband, my son and nephew have done it, let them be hanged”, said Darshana Devi, wife of retired revenue officer Sanjhi Ram, believed to be the prime conspirator in the crime.