Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah attack BJP on Manipur issue

Srinagar, July 21

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday attacked the BJP over two women being paraded naked in violence-hit Manipur, saying it was “shedding crocodile tears” over an incident that has shocked the world.

She also targeted the party over rape convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh being granted a 30-day parole and the alleged sexual harassment of wrestlers.

“On the heels of (the) BJP shedding crocodile tears on a gruesome incident that shocked the world, a prowling predator who takes advantage of female wrestlers is granted anticipatory bail. Another rapist masquerading as a godman is released on parole. The message from the ruling party is clear—‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ isn’t worth fighting against sexual molesters who secure (the) BJP’s political interests,” People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba said in a tweet.

A Delhi court on Thursday granted regular bail to outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case of sexual harassment of women wrestlers. On the same day, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh—who is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples—walked out of the Sunaria jail in Haryana’s Rohtak district after being granted a 30-day parole for the second time this year.

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah, the National Conference vice-president, hit out at BJP leader Dilip Ghosh for his remarks that the opposition was bringing up baseless issues to disrupt the Parliament.

“For the BJP what is happening in Manipur is a ‘baseless issue’,” Abdullah said on Twitter.

Speaking before the beginning of the Monsoon session on Thursday, BJP leader Ghosh said, “Whenever the Parliament session is about to start, they (opposition parties) bring up baseless issues to disrupt the House.”