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| Rassana Rape Case: CM, DyCM face to face with each other | | PDP-BJP coalition in total disarray | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 5: The 3-year-old PDP-BJP coalition is in crisis. Not only small time politicians and ministers belonging to the ruling coalition were taking on each other to score political points or to create an impression that they were with their respective constituencies, but even top leaders belonging to the two parties and in the government are speaking in different languages on the alleged rape and murder of a minor Bakerwal girl in the Rassana village of Hiranagar Tehsil weeks ago.
It happened only on Sunday and that too in Jammu city itself. PDP president and J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti defended the stand of the government on the issue and charged certain elements in the region with giving a communal colour to the alleged rape and murder case. She didn't name the political party but it was clear that two BJP ministers had openly condemned the state government's decision to hand over the case to the Crime Branch for investigation and had told the people of Hiranagar at Koota that they were with them and they supported their demand. They had assured the people that they would meet the CM and urge her to hand over the case to CBI for a free and fair investigation.
"Some political parties and fringe groups are politicizing the rape and murder case of eight-year-old girl in Kathua," the CM said, adding that "the gruesome act was being given a communal colour".
The CM took on the BJP while speaking at a youth convention of the PDP in Jammu.
Earlier, PDP leader and Education Minister Altaf Bukhari had declared the PDP would come out of the government in case attempts were made to vitiate the ongoing investigation in the case by giving it a communal colour. The Government spokesperson and Works Minister Naeem Akhtar had also said almost the same thing.
That the PDP and the BJP are treading different paths as far as the alleged rape and murder case was concerned further became clear when Deputy CM and senior BJP Nirmal Singh leader directly accused the PDP of "playing politics".
Talking to media persons in Jammu, the Deputy CM launched a veiled attack on the PDP and said that it was playing Politics on the issue".
Not just this, the Dy CM strongly defended his party minister - CP Ganga and Lal Singh --, who had visited Koota three days ago to address a very large gathering of protesting people. "Our ministers had gone to meet locals who were demanding justice to the minor girl without any bias or harassment of innocent people," he said without mincing words.
"Those trying to politicize this gruesome crime are actually crating hurdles in providing justice to the victim," the Dy CM said without naming the PDP.
Though the Dy CM didn't say no or yes to a CBI probe, he did say that "the probe would be fair and impartial" and "no innocent person would be harassed".
The CM and the Dy CM speaking differently in Jammu on the same issue and on the same day was a clear indication that all was not well with the ruling coalition and that both the parties were trying to cater to the sentiments of their respective constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Hindu Ekta Manch (HEM), which has been spearheading the movement against the ongoing investigation by the Crime Branch, has planned to organize massive protests and bandhs at different towns and villages on different days to mount pressure on the J&K Government, saying "the elements in the establishment and certain Kashmir based political parties were using Rassana to frighten the minority community in the state".
Indeed, the situation in the Kathua district and the adjoining Samba district is deteriorating day by day. It would be only in the fitness of things if the authorities concede the demand for a CBI probe. Such an approach could restore peace in the disturbed Kathua and Samba district. If not handled properly taking into consideration the sentiments of the people, the issue could engulf the whole of Jammu province. |
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