Kathua probe fair, ministers were ‘misled’ into joining protest march: BJP
New Delhi, Apr 13 (PTI) Facing flak over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, the BJP today claimed that its rivals were "selectively" picking the two instances to target it and asserted that stringent action was being taken in both the cases.
BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi defended the two Jammu and Kashmir ministers of the party, who had joined a march against the police probe into the ghastly rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, saying they were "misled and misguided".
The party did not share their views and they should have maintained that the law was taking its course, she told a press conference here.
To a question on whether the party would take action against the two Jammu and Kashmir ministers, the New Delhi MP said it was not a "crime" to be misled.
"The lesson for them is allow the law to take its own course before opening your mouth," Lekhi said.
The opposition parties are putting pressure on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to sack the two ministers.
The BJP had maintained that it was an "anti-human" and heinous crime and sought stringent action against the accused, Lekhi said, adding that the "rumour mill" was at work to claim that the saffron party was silent on the matter.
The eight-year-old girl from the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community had disappeared from near her house in Kathua district on January 10. Her body was found a week later.
The police had carried out a "very fair investigation" and arrested eight accused in the case, Lekhi said.
The Bar Association of Jammu was also putting pressure on the woman lawyer representing the prosecution not to take up the case against the accused and it showed what kind of "hateful politics" was being practised, Lekhi said.
She also accused the opposition parties of doing dangerous politics over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases.
In the Unnao case in Uttar Pradesh, a 17-year-old girl has accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger of raping her in June last year. The CBI has taken over the probe in the case.
Lekhi also claimed that the two cases were selectively highlighted to target the BJP and said a similar rape-and-murder case of a minor girl in Assam did not get the prominence that the Kathua and Unnao incidents got.
"Some people are silent on that (the Assam incident), but have highlighted the other cases in a wrong manner, even though action has been or is being taken against the accused," she said.
The children and women, who were victims of such heinous crimes, had no religion and such "abhorrent politics" should be shunned, the New Delhi MP said.
The Uttar Pradesh government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and handed over the probe to the CBI, she said, adding that the police had acted against a chief medical officer, a deputy superintendent of police and other officials in the case of the victim's father's death in jail.
Asked if the party was contemplating action against Sengar, she said the probe should be allowed to be concluded.