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Written by: Current News Service

Created: 16 February 2018

NEW DELHI: Former Vice-President, Jawahar Lal Nehur University Students' Union and student leader Shehla Rashid has expressed shock over a march by BJP leaders in Kathua asking for the release of SPO Deepak Khajuria who has been arrested by Crime Branch for raping and murdering a minor nomad girl at Heera Nagar in Jammu region. “Such rallies should be declared as illegal. The shocking attempts by BJP to communalize the incident are highly condemnable. The rally was organised under the banner of “Hindu Ekta Manch” and it is blatant misuse of religion for violent and political purposes. This so-called “Hindu Ekta Manch” is nothing but a cover. It is BJP hiding behind religion to further its political agenda. No justice loving Hindu can support rape and murder,” she said.  

 

Shehla Rashid said that BJP should refrain from using the name of Hindus to further its violent aims and stop defaming the Hindu community. “I appeal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to look at this issue through the prism of communalism. It is an issue of kidnapping, rape and brutal murder of a child. When we - students, women and youth in Delhi - demanded justice for Nirbhaya, we did not care about her caste or religion, nor did we care about the caste or religion of the accused. I would appeal to all women of J&K to similarly unite against this shameful incident and ensure that justice is done,” she said.   

 

She castigated State government for allowing such a communal rally. “When students in Delhi protested peacefully against the rape incident outside J&K House, they were brutally beaten up by the Delhi Police which is controlled by the BJP government at the Centre. The JNUSU Vice-President Simone Zoya Khan was beaten up in a separate room and punched in the face by BJP-controlled Delhi Police! Why was there no action against those involved in the illegal assembly in Kathua? After we made it an issue on social media since yesterday, the CM has now issued a weakly worded tweet, which has come too little and too late. The government should book those involved in the rally under the relevant sections of the Ranbir Penal Code pertaining to illegal assembly and abetment to commit a crime,” she demanded.

 

Shehla Rashid said that: “On the one hand, the BJP raises fake slogans such as “Beto Bachao”, and on the other hand, extends support to rape and murder accused. This shows the hypocrisy of the BJP. I am afraid that such mobilizations will interfere with the process of justice, which has been achieved after huge efforts of justice loving people, given the fact that BJP is part of the alliance, and that BJP leaders were part of the rally, as per reports,” she said.