Kathua rape: Two BJP ministers, who rallied for accused, resign

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 13

Two BJP ministers Choudhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, who had supported demand of Hindu Ekta Manch to hand over Kathua rape case to CBI, on Friday submitted their resignations to BJP state president Sat Sharma.

Lal Singh, MLA from Basholi in Kathua district, is Forest Minister and Ganga, MLA from Vijaypur in Samba district, is Industries and Commerce Minister in the PDP-BJP government headed by Mehbooba Mufti.

Highly placed sources in the BJP said that both the ministers have submitted their resignations following pressure from the coalition partner PDP and opposition National Conference. Earlier today PDP had asked the BJP to sack both the ministers to save the coalition.

Similarly opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to sack her two Cabinet colleagues who allegedly tried to defend the accused in the Kathua rape-and-murder case. He said the BJP ministers who took part in a rally in support of the accused have no right to be in the Cabinet.

The NC had warned of launching a civil disobedience movement if the two ministers were not sacked from the Cabinet.