PDP thanks countrymen for supporting JK over Kathua rape case
15/04/2018
Srinagar, Apr 14: Ruling PDP today thanked the countrymen for standing with Jammu and Kashmir over the rape and murder case of an eight-year-old girl from Bakerwal community in Kathua district.
After a legislature party meeting here, senior PDP leader and Public Works Minister Naeem Akhtar told reporters that the party hopes for the same kind of support from the country on other issues in the state.
"We thank people of entire country including the intelligentsia and civil society for standing with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the case.
"The way all the citizens of the country came together thinking of her (victim) as their own daughter and raised their voice, the way they helped uphold the credibility of the state's investigation, which was being questioned, we thought the party will fail its duty if we do not express our gratitude to the people of our great country," Akhtar said.
The meeting was held at Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's residence. "This case became an issue after the investigations of the Crime Branch led to arrest of the accused persons and a chargesheet was filed before the court of law. It is unlike other cases like Jessica Lal murder case where people had to come out on streets demanding arrest of the accused persons," he said. Akthar said the PDP wants that the emotional bond created between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country due to the Kathua case to grow stronger. The PDP also thanked the BJP and people of Jammu for "doing their bit" in the case.
"We appreciate our alliance partner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Ram Madhav and Amit Shah for their support and taking resignation of the two ministers about whom the media said that their role was not positive. I think this is also a confidence building measure and if the BJP and the PDP resolve their issues in the same manner, then I feel there is no substitute of this alliance," he added.
Two BJP ministers Chaudhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash had put their party in a tight spot by attending a rally on March 1 after the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police had arrested the nephew of a caretaker of a 'devisathan' (temple) in connection with the kidnapping and rape of the little girl. Both the minister today exited from the PDP-BJP alliance government in Jammu and Kashmir. Asked about reports of the chief minister writing to Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court for setting up of a fast track court, Akhtar said it is an administrative matter and he cannot comment on that.
"But we will try to give justice to the victim as soon as possible and take stringent action against the perpetrators," he said. On opposition National Conference demand for shifting the case out of Kathua, Akhtar said, "Whenever it is felt, the state government along with the court will take whatever steps are needed to provide uninterrupted and unobstructed justice."
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