By Firdous Hassan
Srinagar, May 27: Continuing to rally in support of the Kathua rape-and-murder accused, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Chaudhary Lal Singh on Sunday brazenly opposed the Ramadan ceasefire and the Chief Minister for making it possible.
At his second ‘Dogra Swabiman’ rally held at Satwari, Jammu, to support the demand for CBI probe into the Kathua incident, Singh said the Chief Minister, despite objections, forced New Delhi to order the ceasefire.
“The ceasefire move was objected to by the Defence Minister and the Chief of Army Staff. But our Chief Minister constantly nagged the central government, and forced them to announce the ceasefire,” he said.
He said the situation has “ceased to improve” in the state despite the Ramadan ceasefire.
“The results of ceasefire are in front of everyone now. Grenades are lobbed in Kashmir, people are getting killed at the border, and now the militants have even reached to Jammu Bus Stand,” he told the reporters.
“Why was ceasefire enforced and why aren’t there any operations against the militants? Are they waiting for the people to be killed? They have let loose the stone throwers in Kashmir to kill the tourists.”
Singh blamed the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, for failing to handle the situation in the state.
“Whenever the situation is not conducive in the state, the Chief Minister, who is the head of the state, is responsible,” he said.
Singh, who resigned from the cabinet after the controversy caused by his appearance in a pro-rapist rally held in Jammu, said they will continue to protest till the government involves CBI in Kathua case.
“Dogras are hurt for being labelled as pro-rapist. The CBI probe will only identify the criminal. They, till now, have been claiming the JK Police hands are bloodstained. Now, all of sudden, they have become saints for them,” he said.
Singh asked the government to accept their demands, failing which he threatened to hold a “major rally” in Jammu.
“These are not rallies, but meetings. If our demand is not met, we will hold a rally in Jammu with participation by more than four lakh people. Inki Naani Yaad Ayegi tab (They will learn a lesson),” he said.
Singh blamed the Chief Minister for misusing the departments and police in Kathua.
“Media information department is being misused and police also should understand their policies. They incited every child against the country now,” he said.
Apparently hinting on filing of FIR against his brother for abusing Chief Minister, Singh said the government has been adopting discriminatory approach towards Jammu people.
“They (Chief Minister) should see how much she is abused in Kashmir. But here people have to face averse conditions,” he said.
Police issue lookout notice for his abusive brother
Jammu, May 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Police has announced reward for information leading to the arrest of Rajinder Singh — the younger brother of BJP leader and former minister Choudhary Lal Singh — who was purportedly caught in a tape using derogatory words against Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during a rally in Kathua district.
In an advertisement in leading English daily here, the district police requested people for information which might lead to the arrest of the accused and said “the identity of the informer will not be disclosed and he or she will be rewarded suitably”.
On May 21, an FIR was registered against Singh, alias Babby, after a video purportedly showing him using derogatory language against the chief minister went viral. He made the alleged remarks during a rally, organised by his brother a day earlier from Lakhanpur to Hiranagar to press for a CBI inquiry into the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year- old girl in Kathua.
Singh faces charges under Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Ranbir Penal Code and Sections 66/67 of the Information Technology Act.
“Since the case is important in nature and accused person is evading arrest, as such photograph/particulars of accused are being circulated with the appeal that anybody having any information about his whereabouts may contact us,” it said.
