J&K: Congress Stands By Kin Of Kathua Rape Victim, Says Party A Day After Spokesperson's Resignation

NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said the Congress should not allow Chaudhary Lal Singh to take part in Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is scheduled to enter the state on January 19.

Congress spokesperson Deepika Pushkar Nath resigned from the party over its decision to "allow" Chaudhary Lal Singh to join Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra.

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Wednesday said it stands by the family of Kathua rape case victim, news agency PTI reported.

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said the Congress should not allow former minister Chaudhary Lal Singh, who had allegedly supported rapists in Kathua rape-and-murder case, to take part in Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is scheduled to enter the state on January 19.

This comes a day after Congress spokesperson Deepika Pushkar Nath resigned from the party over its decision to "allow" Singh to join the Rahul Gandhi-led foot march.

“She (Deepika) announced her decision to resign from the party on Twitter. The high command has taken note and will decide on it. However, the stand of our party on the rape and murder case is crystal clear as we stand with the family of the victim and have always favoured a fair probe to bring the culprits to book," PTI quoted J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma as saying.

“He has expressed his willingness to be part of the yatra which was launched by Rahul Gandhi to unite the country against hatred and divisive politics,” Sharma said, adding, “We have welcomed everyone who accepted the ideology of Gandhi...Singh was a member of the BJP at that time and was sent by his party along with then ministerial colleague Chander Prakash Ganga to Kathua. Both of them submitted their resignations from the council of ministers and Ganga is still with BJP.”

Sharma further said that the party has not extended an invitation to Singh to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

It is to be noted that Deepika Pushkar Nath, a lawyer by profession, had said on Tuesday that she is leaving the party on "ideological grounds" as former minister Lal Singh, who is also the chief of Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP), was responsible in sabotaging the 2018 Kathua rape case by "brazenly defending" rapists of the eight-year-old girl.