'Don't Know Deepika Pushkar': Punjab Cong Chief Over Party's J&K Spokesperson's Resignation

Deepika Nath had announced her resignation from Congress stating that former Minister Lal Singh, who purportedly got permission to join Bharat Jodo Yatra, had defended the Kathua case rapists

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring

New Delhi: Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Wednesday said that he did not know who Deepika Pushkar Nath was when asked about his reaction on the latter's resignation from the party. Deepika had announced her resignation from the party after former Minister Lal Singh purportedly received permission to participate in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and later this week. 

Deepika Pushkar Nath, an advocate who was at the forefront of a campaign to seek justice for the eight-year-old Kathua rape victim, announced her resignation from the party stating that the former Minister had defended the rapists. She had served as the spoksperson of Jammu and Kashmir Congress unit.

"Don't know who Deepika Pushkar is...Such people deliberately resign to run their business..," Warring said while speaking to news agency ANI. 

#WATCH | "Don't know who Deepika Pushkar is...Such people deliberately resign to run their business..,"says Punjab Cong chief on the J&K Cong spox resigning over ex-min Lal Singh joining Bharat Jodo Yatra

Singh reportedly participated in rally supporting 2018 Kathua rape accused pic.twitter.com/rG0eXGBCjq

— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2023

Nath said that Lal Singh's proposal of joining of Bharat Jodo Yatra was ideologically opposite to her actions and beliefs. She added that on ideological grounds, she could not share the party platform with someone who defended rapists.

Lal Singh and Chandra Prakash Ganga were forced to resign from the Mehbooba Mufti Cabinet in April 2018 for their participation in a rally in support of the Kathua rapists.

After his ouster from the cabinet, Singh led a massive campaign to seek a CBI probe into the Kathua rape and murder case, claiming a conspiracy was afoot to defame the Dogra community.

J&K police had then registered an FIR against Lal Singh's brother for using abusive language against then Chief Minster Mehbooba Mufti during a rally in Kathua.

The eight-year-old girl from Rasana village of Kathua was kidnapped and raped in captivity in January 2018. She was kept sedated for four days before being bludgeoned to death.