Kathua rape-murder case: JK Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir defends remarks, says never raised questions on police probe

Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir today denied BJP's charges that he had termed the Kathua rape and murder case probe as "motivated". 

The Congress also dismissed the BJP's demand of sacking Mir, saying it was because of his demand that the inquiry into the matter had seen some progress initially.

The BJP today released a video purportedly showing Mir calling the police probe in the Kathua case as motivated and defending the public protests against it. The saffron party demanded that Gandhi sack him.

"Mir sahab has clearly said that the video they are talking about is one or one-and-half months old. Because of Mir sahab's demand that there was some progress, action in the case," Congress leader Pawan Khera told reporters in Delhi.

Mir, defending his remarks, said he never raised questions on J-K police's probe in Kathua rape and murder case. 

"This is an old video. The statement was given by me in March. It was prior to the arrest of the mastermind and main accused, and others (in the Kathua case)," he said.

"It was after my statement, the main accused and mastermind, Sanji Ram, and others were arrested. I never raised question mark on the probe (by the crime branch). I have never demanded a CBI probe (into the matter)," Mir told PTI.

In the video, which was played during a press conference at the BJP's New Delhi headquarters, Mir is purportedly telling reporters that the locals believed the investigation was motivated and that the main culprits were still at large.

It was played in the presence of senior BJP leader and Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari.

Mir alleged that the playing of video by the BJP is aimed at diverting attention from the involvement of its J-K ministers and party leaders in the Rassana agitation to shield the culprits of the Kathua case

The BJP had faced flak after its leaders in the Jammu region, including two ministers -- Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga -- in the Mehbooba Mufti government, joined the public protests against the police probe into the rape and murder case, which led to the arrest of eight persons. The ministers resigned on Friday.

The Congress also termed as "misleading" the BJP's talk of its two state ministers resigning from their posts.

The opposition party claimed that it was because of the pressure exerted by the people and the protest march led by party chief Rahul Gandhi that saw the ruling BJP take the action against its ministers.

"So, the talk of sacking (by the BJP) someone is misleading. Today, in fact, they (the BJP) should have kept quiet. Today people are asking them questions, who are they (the BJP) to ask questions," Khera asked.

Hitting back at the BJP over the rape incidents, Khera accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of providing merely a "lip service" and of taking time to respond to them.

"You removed two ministers, that too in the wake of pressure? But why Ajay Singh Bisht (Yogi Adityanath), the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was not removed?" he asked.

According to reports, the two BJP ministers had gone to the place of agitation at Rasana in Kathua and had attended a meeting in support of the accused to demand a CBI probe in the matter.

The body of the Kathua girl was found in Rasana forest on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.

On January 23, the government had handed over the case to the Crime Branch which formed a special investigation team and arrested eight people, including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a head constable.

The ruling PDP thanked the BJP leadership for taking resignations of the two leaders. 

(With PTI inputs)