In a recent important political development, the induction of Kathua MLA Rajiv Jastrotia of BJP as a minister in the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet during the reshuffle has triggered a fresh controversy with sane voices expressing anguish, raising question over his participation in a rally to favor the accused in Kathua minor’s rape and murder case for which BJP earlier forced two of its stalwarts to quit the state cabinet.
Even the profreedom camp who usually do not comment on cabinet reshuffles condemned the move. The joint resistance leadership of separatists JRL said that inducting another organizer of the Pro rapist rallies Ravinder Jasrotia into the government clearly shows that BJP does not believe in deviating from its politics of polarization and appeasement of certain communities for votes, even on a basic human issue like this, which is not surprising. It just reinforces the fact of how helpless the local collaborators, the PDP are and how shameless they can be to stay on for the sake of chair. It also indicates how much justice can be expected for Kathua child from a system run by such people.
Whileas on the otherhand, Reacting sharply to the elevation of “pro-rapist” MLA Kathua Rajiv Jasrotia, who had hosted a pro rapist rally in Kathua, into state Cabinet, the Kashmir Economic Alliance Chairperson Haji Muhammad Yasin Khan said his forums would boycott events where ever Jasrotia is invited as a guest.
Pertinently, Khan who also heads the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation said it was unfortunate that to be in power the ruling PDP was rubbing shoulders with pro-rapist faces, who want release of gangsters involved in gang-rape and murdered an eight year old girl.
Undoubtedly this move has created lot of anger and resentment.