Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes.&nbsp;

"In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter.&nbsp;

"At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame," the letter says, before going on to add, "Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty."&nbsp;

The letter blames the Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) and Unnao (UP) attacks on the BJP, which is in power in both states.&nbsp;

"This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function," it says, before going on to suggest a to-do list for Prime Minister Modi to make amends.&nbsp;

The full text of the letter is reproduced below:&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution.

We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed.

Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings.

The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty.

Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values – but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao.&nbsp;

In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide.

In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent.

In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it.

And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar.

Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function.

And to this end we call upon you to do the following:

● Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us.

● Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado.

● In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority.

● Take steps to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and 
hate speeches.

● Call for an all party meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively.

It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope.

Signed: 
1. SP Ambrose, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport, GoI 
2. Vappala Balachandran, IPS (Retd). Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 
3. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 
4. Pradip Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Development & Planning and Administrative Training Institute, Govt. of West Bengal 
5. Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (Retd). Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 
6. Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 
7. Javid Chowdhury, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 
8. Anna Dani, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 
9. Surjit K. Das. IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 
10. Vibha Puri Das. IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 
11. Nareshwar Dayal. IFS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 
12. Keshav Desiraju, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 
13. M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 
14. Sushil Dubey, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Sweden 
15. K.P. Fabian, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Italy 
16. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 
17. Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 
18. Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 
19. Sajjad Hassan, IAS (Retd). Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 
20. M.A. Ibrahimi, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary (rank) Bihar 
21. Ajai Kumar, Indian Forest Service (Retd). Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 
22. Arun Kumar, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 
23. Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd). Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 
24. Aditi Mehta, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 
25. Sunil Mitra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 
26. Sobha Nambisan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Secretary (Planning), Govt. of Karnataka 
27. Amitabha Pande, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 
28. Niranjan Pant,IA&AS (Retd). Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 
29. P. R. Parthasarathy, IPS (Retd). Former Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govt. of Maharashtra 
30. Alok Perti, IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 
31. N.K. Raghupathy, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 
32. M.Y. Rao, IAS (Retd). 
33. Sujatha Rao, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Health, GoI 
34. Julio Ribeiro, IPS (Retd). Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & Ambassador to Romania 
35. Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned) 
36. Manabendra N. Roy, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 
37. Umrao Salodia, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation, Govt. of Rajasthan 
38. Deepak Sanan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 
39. E. A.S. Sarma, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI 
40. N.C. Saxena, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 
41. Ardhendu Sen, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 
42. Abhijit Sengupta, IAS (Retd). Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 
43. Aftab Seth, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Japan 
44. Navrekha Sharma, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Indonesia 
45. Har Mander Singh, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, ESI Corporation, GoI 
46. Jawhar Sircar, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & CEO, Prasar Bharati 
47. K.S. Subramanian, IPS (Retd). Former Director General, State Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development, Govt. of Tripura 
48. Geetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd). Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata 
49. Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. Of Maharashtra

'This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point — the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function,' the bureaucrats write in their letter

Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes. "In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter. "At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame," the letter says, before going on to add, "Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty." The letter blames the Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) and Unnao (UP) attacks on the BJP, which is in power in both states. "This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function," it says, before going on to suggest a to-do list for Prime Minister Modi to make amends. The full text of the letter is reproduced below: We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution. We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed. Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings. The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty. Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values – but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao. In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide. In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent. In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it. And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar. Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function. And to this end we call upon you to do the following: ● Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us. ● Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado. ● In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority. ● Take steps to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches. ● Call for an all party meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively. It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope. Signed: 1. SP Ambrose, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport, GoI 2. Vappala Balachandran, IPS (Retd). Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 3. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 4. Pradip Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Development & Planning and Administrative Training Institute, Govt. of West Bengal 5. Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (Retd). Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 6. Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 7. Javid Chowdhury, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 8. Anna Dani, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 9. Surjit K. Das. IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 10. Vibha Puri Das. IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 11. Nareshwar Dayal. IFS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 12. Keshav Desiraju, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 13. M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 14. Sushil Dubey, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Sweden 15. K.P. Fabian, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Italy 16. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 17. Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 18. Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 19. Sajjad Hassan, IAS (Retd). Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 20. M.A. Ibrahimi, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary (rank) Bihar 21. Ajai Kumar, Indian Forest Service (Retd). Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 22. Arun Kumar, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 23. Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd). Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 24. Aditi Mehta, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 25. Sunil Mitra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 26. Sobha Nambisan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Secretary (Planning), Govt. of Karnataka 27. Amitabha Pande, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 28. Niranjan Pant,IA&AS (Retd). Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 29. P. R. Parthasarathy, IPS (Retd). Former Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govt. of Maharashtra 30. Alok Perti, IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 31. N.K. Raghupathy, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 32. M.Y. Rao, IAS (Retd). 33. Sujatha Rao, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Health, GoI 34. Julio Ribeiro, IPS (Retd). Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & Ambassador to Romania 35. Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned) 36. Manabendra N. Roy, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 37. Umrao Salodia, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation, Govt. of Rajasthan 38. Deepak Sanan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 39. E. A.S. Sarma, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI 40. N.C. Saxena, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 41. Ardhendu Sen, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 42. Abhijit Sengupta, IAS (Retd). Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 43. Aftab Seth, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Japan 44. Navrekha Sharma, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Indonesia 45. Har Mander Singh, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, ESI Corporation, GoI 46. Jawhar Sircar, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & CEO, Prasar Bharati 47. K.S. Subramanian, IPS (Retd). Former Director General, State Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development, Govt. of Tripura 48. Geetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd). Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata 49. Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. Of Maharashtra

'Our darkest hour,' 49 former bureaucrats write to PM Modi after Kathua, Unnao gang rapes

The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case begins today against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death.

The accused include a juvenile against whom a separate charge sheet was filed.

The chief judicial magistrate of Kathua will be committing one of the charge sheets, in which seven people have been named, to the sessions court for trial as mandated under the law. The chief judicial magistrate will, however, hold the trial for the juvenile as it is the designated court under the juvenile act, according to officials.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case, a move being seen as made to ensure "neutrality" in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case.

The trial is expected to go smoothly after the Jammu Bar association as well as the Kathua Bar received a rap on the kuckles by the Supreme Court on April 13 as the apex court took a strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case.

The Supreme Court initiated a case on its own record saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice".

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud was also critical of the Jammu High Court Bar Association, which had passed a resolution not to attend the courts saying "it is the duty of the bar association as a collective body and they cannot obstruct the process of law".

According to the charge sheets filed by the crime branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the Bakerwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area.

It lists the caretaker of 'Devisthan', a small temple, in a village in Kathua, about 90 km from here, as the main conspirator behind the crime.

Sanji Ram was allegedly joined by special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Ram's nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias "Shamma".

The charge sheet also names investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence.

All eight are under arrest.

The crime branch will also be handing over the notices issued to the Jammu Bar Council as well as Kathua Bar Council for appearing before the Supreme Court on April 19.

The Bar Association of Kathua has already retracted from its earlier statement of providing legal assistance free of cost to the accused and said ?after going through the charge sheet presented by the crime branch (against the accused in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate on April 9) it is revealed that the allegations against the accused persons are very grave and as such this case is to be dealt with in a professional way.

"As such, we have withdrawn our offer to contest the case free of cost. Accused are free to engage any individual advocate and exercise their respective rights of defence in the court. It is for any individual advocate to accept the brief and the bar association will not come in the way of defence nor the bar association will hamper the prosecution," President of BAK Kirty Bhushan Mahajan had said in a seven page statement yesterday.

Members of the same association had blocked the way of crime branch personnel from submitting the charge sheet before the chief judicial magistrate for six hours forcing the police to present it at the house of the magistrate.

Police have already registered a case against lawyers for obstructing public servants from performing their duty.

The Jammu Bar association, which was left red-faced after the Supreme Court's observation, attempted to put a brave face saying they had full faith in the apex court and said their main demand was for shifting of illegally settled Rohingyas.

It denounced the attempts made by certain quarters for making wrongful attempts to project the association as "pro-rapist" or "anti-national".

The association today fielded a senior woman advocate Surinder Kour who said "we are now satisfied that the case has reached the Supreme Court and we are satisfied that justice will be delivered to the minor girl."

JHCBA is on strike since April 4 and sponsored a general strike on April 11 in Jammu to press for its demands including for according district status to Nowshera sub division in Rajouri district.

"We included the demand for CBI probe into the Kathua rape and murder at the request of civil society," Kour said and accused the state government of forcing them into agitation by "giving no response to our concerns despite repeated memorandums and statements."&nbsp;

There are eight accused, including one juvenile

The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case begins today against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. The accused include a juvenile against whom a separate charge sheet was filed. The chief judicial magistrate of Kathua will be committing one of the charge sheets, in which seven people have been named, to the sessions court for trial as mandated under the law. The chief judicial magistrate will, however, hold the trial for the juvenile as it is the designated court under the juvenile act, according to officials. The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case, a move being seen as made to ensure "neutrality" in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case. The trial is expected to go smoothly after the Jammu Bar association as well as the Kathua Bar received a rap on the kuckles by the Supreme Court on April 13 as the apex court took a strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. The Supreme Court initiated a case on its own record saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice". A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud was also critical of the Jammu High Court Bar Association, which had passed a resolution not to attend the courts saying "it is the duty of the bar association as a collective body and they cannot obstruct the process of law". According to the charge sheets filed by the crime branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the Bakerwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area. It lists the caretaker of 'Devisthan', a small temple, in a village in Kathua, about 90 km from here, as the main conspirator behind the crime. Sanji Ram was allegedly joined by special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Ram's nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias "Shamma". The charge sheet also names investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. All eight are under arrest. The crime branch will also be handing over the notices issued to the Jammu Bar Council as well as Kathua Bar Council for appearing before the Supreme Court on April 19. The Bar Association of Kathua has already retracted from its earlier statement of providing legal assistance free of cost to the accused and said ?after going through the charge sheet presented by the crime branch (against the accused in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate on April 9) it is revealed that the allegations against the accused persons are very grave and as such this case is to be dealt with in a professional way. "As such, we have withdrawn our offer to contest the case free of cost. Accused are free to engage any individual advocate and exercise their respective rights of defence in the court. It is for any individual advocate to accept the brief and the bar association will not come in the way of defence nor the bar association will hamper the prosecution," President of BAK Kirty Bhushan Mahajan had said in a seven page statement yesterday. Members of the same association had blocked the way of crime branch personnel from submitting the charge sheet before the chief judicial magistrate for six hours forcing the police to present it at the house of the magistrate. Police have already registered a case against lawyers for obstructing public servants from performing their duty. The Jammu Bar association, which was left red-faced after the Supreme Court's observation, attempted to put a brave face saying they had full faith in the apex court and said their main demand was for shifting of illegally settled Rohingyas. It denounced the attempts made by certain quarters for making wrongful attempts to project the association as "pro-rapist" or "anti-national". The association today fielded a senior woman advocate Surinder Kour who said "we are now satisfied that the case has reached the Supreme Court and we are satisfied that justice will be delivered to the minor girl." JHCBA is on strike since April 4 and sponsored a general strike on April 11 in Jammu to press for its demands including for according district status to Nowshera sub division in Rajouri district. "We included the demand for CBI probe into the Kathua rape and murder at the request of civil society," Kour said and accused the state government of forcing them into agitation by "giving no response to our concerns despite repeated memorandums and statements."

Kathua gang rape and murder trial to begin today

Congress President Rahul Gandhi led a midnight protest Thursday against the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes at Delhi's India Gate.&nbsp;

"Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does," Rahul tweeted on Thursday. &nbsp;

Rahul said the protest would be a "silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil".&nbsp;

"Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice," Rahul tweeted.&nbsp;

The Kathua and Unnao gang rapes have left the nation in shock.&nbsp;

In the first incident, an eight-year-old girl was kept captive in a temple in Kathua, Jammu. The child was sedated and raped repeatedly.&nbsp;

The alleged mastermind was a retired revenue official and policemen were allegedly involved in the crime.&nbsp;

Eight people have so far been arrested.&nbsp;

The Unnao incident only came to light when the girl and her family tried to immolate themselves outside the residence of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister on Sunday.&nbsp;

The girl's father — she was 17 when she was allegedly gang-raped — died a few days later, reportedly in police custody.&nbsp;

The main accused is the BJP MLA from Unnao, Kuldeep Singh Sengar.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/unnao-gangrape-case-high-court-slams-up-govt-over-delay-in-accused-mlas-arrest-130128">High court slams UP govt over </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/unnao-gangrape-case-high-court-slams-up-govt-over-delay-in-accused-mlas-arrest-130128">delay</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/unnao-gangrape-case-high-court-slams-up-govt-over-delay-in-accused-mlas-arrest-130128"> in accused MLA's arrest</a>

A video has since surfaced of the girl's father saying he had been beaten by Sengar's brother in front of the police, but they did nothing because of the MLA's clout.&nbsp;

An FIR was finally filed on Thursday.&nbsp;

Sengar has been accused of, among other crimes, rape and kidnapping but he has not yet been arrested with the police saying the CBI would do so.&nbsp;

The case has since been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp;

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Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does. 
 
Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/984463414947758081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Rahul said the protest would be a 'silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil'

Congress President Rahul Gandhi led a midnight protest Thursday against the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes at Delhi's India Gate. "Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does," Rahul tweeted on Thursday. Rahul said the protest would be a "silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil". "Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice," Rahul tweeted. The Kathua and Unnao gang rapes have left the nation in shock. In the first incident, an eight-year-old girl was kept captive in a temple in Kathua, Jammu. The child was sedated and raped repeatedly. The alleged mastermind was a retired revenue official and policemen were allegedly involved in the crime. Eight people have so far been arrested. The Unnao incident only came to light when the girl and her family tried to immolate themselves outside the residence of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister on Sunday. The girl's father — she was 17 when she was allegedly gang-raped — died a few days later, reportedly in police custody. The main accused is the BJP MLA from Unnao, Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Also read: High court slams UP govt over delay in accused MLA's arrest A video has since surfaced of the girl's father saying he had been beaten by Sengar's brother in front of the police, but they did nothing because of the MLA's clout. An FIR was finally filed on Thursday. Sengar has been accused of, among other crimes, rape and kidnapping but he has not yet been arrested with the police saying the CBI would do so. The case has since been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Like millions of Indians my heart hurts tonight. India simply cannot continue to treat its women the way it does. Join me in a silent, peaceful, candlelight vigil at India Gate at midnight tonight to protest this violence and demand justice. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 12, 2018 ×

Kathua, Unnao gang rapes: Rahul Gandhi leads midnight protest at Delhi's India Gate

Reacting to the gruesome rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister VK Singh tweeted on Thursday saying " We have failed as humans".

He further demanded punishment for the accused involved and assured that she will not be denied justice

The eight-year-old was allegedly&nbsp;gang-raped by six men who held her in captive in a small temple&nbsp;for several days.

The accused drugged her and repeatedly gang-raped&nbsp;her for days before finally killing&nbsp;her with a rock.

The charge sheet filed against the six involved, states that one of the police officers asked the killer to wait before smashing her with the&nbsp;rock so that he could rape her for the last time.

The body of the girl was found in the forests on January 17 while she was kidnapped from her village on January 10.

Six people including two policemen have been arrested in the rape and murder of the girl.

The crime was planned to&nbsp;instil fear among the community, Bakherwas nomads, which the girl belonged to.&nbsp;

VK Singh is the first Union Minister to have spoken demanding a justice for the girl.

Earlier BJP leader Jitendra Singh backed the accused involved in the terrifying incident saying&nbsp;"Those who have not done anything wrong should be given justice". He also demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.

Sanji Ram is the main accused in the case. The others arrested include special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, Parvesh Kumaru, Sanji Ram's minor nephew and his son Vishal Jangotra.

Some reports also suggest that two policemen also tried to manipulate evidence in order to help the accused.

&nbsp;

'She will not be denied justice,' Singh added. Eight-year-old was allegedly gang-raped by six men who held her captive in a temple for several days

Reacting to the gruesome rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister VK Singh tweeted on Thursday saying " We have failed as humans". He further demanded punishment for the accused involved and assured that she will not be denied justice The eight-year-old was allegedly gang-raped by six men who held her in captive in a small temple for several days. The accused drugged her and repeatedly gang-raped her for days before finally killing her with a rock. The charge sheet filed against the six involved, states that one of the police officers asked the killer to wait before smashing her with the rock so that he could rape her for the last time. The body of the girl was found in the forests on January 17 while she was kidnapped from her village on January 10. Six people including two policemen have been arrested in the rape and murder of the girl. The crime was planned to instil fear among the community, Bakherwas nomads, which the girl belonged to. VK Singh is the first Union Minister to have spoken demanding a justice for the girl. Earlier BJP leader Jitendra Singh backed the accused involved in the terrifying incident saying "Those who have not done anything wrong should be given justice". He also demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident. Sanji Ram is the main accused in the case. The others arrested include special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, Parvesh Kumaru, Sanji Ram's minor nephew and his son Vishal Jangotra. Some reports also suggest that two policemen also tried to manipulate evidence in order to help the accused.

Kathua child gang rape: 'We have failed her as humans,' says VK Singh

The investigations in the gangrape and murder of Kathua girl have shown that the motive of the crime was to drive away Bakarwal community from the area. The key accused Sanji Ram, a retired revenue official was against the settlement of Bakarwals in Rasana Kootah, and Dhamyal area of Kathua district. The police investigation also mentions that apart from other things suspicion of cow slaughter was one of the reasons for the hatred towards victim’s community.

“During investigation, it transpired that a particular community had a general impression that the Bakarwals indulge in cow slaughter and drug trafficking”, says the 18-page charge sheet filed by the police in the court.

As per the details that are emerging out from the investigations Sanji Ram always kept on motivating the members of his community of the area not to provide land for grazing or any other kind of assistance.

Sometime back one Harnam Singh had sold land to one Bakarwal and Sanji Ram had started accompanying against said Harnam Singh.

“He also utilized the services of Ex-sarpanch of Kootah and Rasana area against said Harnam Singh and managed to stop the payment on account of installation of telephone towers in his land through the concerned tehsildar on the plea that the land in question was a state land. Ultimately Harnam Singh approached the Hon’ble High court and got the impugned order of Tehsildar quashed”, details the chargesheet.

The police report details several incidents in past where Sanji Ram had been seen conspiring against the Bakarwal community. Head Constable Tilak and SPO Deepak Khajuria were also against the settlement of Bakarwals in Rasana, Kootah and Dhamyal area who had already discussed this issue with Sanji Ram to Chalk out a strategy for dislodging the Bakarwals from the area.

“They were blaming&nbsp;the Bakarwals on one pretext or the other and used to threaten them”, mentions the police report

The investigators have been able to establish that the accused had reasons to act against the Bakarwal Community.

“The conspiracy ultimately resulted in&nbsp;the gruesome rape and brutal murder of an innocent child of only 8 years of age, who being a small kid became a soft target”, says the chargesheet.

As per the investigations, the girl&nbsp;was kidnapped on 10th of January, drugged and kept in the temple (Devi Sathan) which was managed by Sanji Ram. For days she was repeatedly drugged and gang-raped. On the day when she was finally killed the accused gangraped her one more time and then strangulated her. They also hit her with a stone to ensure she had died.&nbsp;

Jammu Bar Association including Kathua Bar association and Kathua Hindu Ekta morcha had objected the Crime Branch investigation and are asking for CBI enquiry, a couple of top leaders who are serving ministers in collation government of state backed the bar and morcha and approached to chief minister with a demand that case should be given to CBI, but chief minister rejected the demand.

Bar continued their agitation and crime branch was stopped to produce the challan in Kathua CJM court but after 5 hours of wait, crime branch managed to produce the challan of the case against 7 persons arrested in the case who are alleged have done this crime. soon bar called for a shutdown for 11th April&nbsp;in Jammu, but state BJP&nbsp;unit and chamber of commerce Jammu had distanced themselves from the shutdown call.

On the other hand in Kashmir&nbsp;protesters were seen demanding justice for&nbsp;victim , protest were seen in Srinagar lal chowk of lawyers, civil society, Kashmir economic alliance, Kashmir university students threatened to go for hunger strike if justice was not delivered, where the main opposition party national conference said that the case should be transferred to some other court for free and fair investigation.

Victim's Bakarwal community was also suspected of cow slaughter, says the police report

The investigations in the gangrape and murder of Kathua girl have shown that the motive of the crime was to drive away Bakarwal community from the area. The key accused Sanji Ram, a retired revenue official was against the settlement of Bakarwals in Rasana Kootah, and Dhamyal area of Kathua district. The police investigation also mentions that apart from other things suspicion of cow slaughter was one of the reasons for the hatred towards victim’s community. “During investigation, it transpired that a particular community had a general impression that the Bakarwals indulge in cow slaughter and drug trafficking”, says the 18-page charge sheet filed by the police in the court. As per the details that are emerging out from the investigations Sanji Ram always kept on motivating the members of his community of the area not to provide land for grazing or any other kind of assistance. Sometime back one Harnam Singh had sold land to one Bakarwal and Sanji Ram had started accompanying against said Harnam Singh. “He also utilized the services of Ex-sarpanch of Kootah and Rasana area against said Harnam Singh and managed to stop the payment on account of installation of telephone towers in his land through the concerned tehsildar on the plea that the land in question was a state land. Ultimately Harnam Singh approached the Hon’ble High court and got the impugned order of Tehsildar quashed”, details the chargesheet. The police report details several incidents in past where Sanji Ram had been seen conspiring against the Bakarwal community. Head Constable Tilak and SPO Deepak Khajuria were also against the settlement of Bakarwals in Rasana, Kootah and Dhamyal area who had already discussed this issue with Sanji Ram to Chalk out a strategy for dislodging the Bakarwals from the area. “They were blaming the Bakarwals on one pretext or the other and used to threaten them”, mentions the police report The investigators have been able to establish that the accused had reasons to act against the Bakarwal Community. “The conspiracy ultimately resulted in the gruesome rape and brutal murder of an innocent child of only 8 years of age, who being a small kid became a soft target”, says the chargesheet. As per the investigations, the girl was kidnapped on 10th of January, drugged and kept in the temple (Devi Sathan) which was managed by Sanji Ram. For days she was repeatedly drugged and gang-raped. On the day when she was finally killed the accused gangraped her one more time and then strangulated her. They also hit her with a stone to ensure she had died. Jammu Bar Association including Kathua Bar association and Kathua Hindu Ekta morcha had objected the Crime Branch investigation and are asking for CBI enquiry, a couple of top leaders who are serving ministers in collation government of state backed the bar and morcha and approached to chief minister with a demand that case should be given to CBI, but chief minister rejected the demand. Bar continued their agitation and crime branch was stopped to produce the challan in Kathua CJM court but after 5 hours of wait, crime branch managed to produce the challan of the case against 7 persons arrested in the case who are alleged have done this crime. soon bar called for a shutdown for 11th April in Jammu, but state BJP unit and chamber of commerce Jammu had distanced themselves from the shutdown call. On the other hand in Kashmir protesters were seen demanding justice for victim , protest were seen in Srinagar lal chowk of lawyers, civil society, Kashmir economic alliance, Kashmir university students threatened to go for hunger strike if justice was not delivered, where the main opposition party national conference said that the case should be transferred to some other court for free and fair investigation.

Jammu child gang rape: Motive was to drive victim's community out of area, says charge sheet

It's a season of kitschy symbolism in Bollywood with celebrities after celebrities posting pictures with placards that say "I am ashamed", and demanding justice for an eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and murdered in Kathua. The wordings, style, tonality and content of the placards being the same through all the celebrities.

The trend is not limited to the Bollywood alone most of the celebrities from different walks of life have been pronouncing the arrested people as 'rapists' and the temple as the 'scene of crime'. Adding the prefix "alleged" or using the word "suspect" has gone out of fashion in the new secular consciousness.

The purpose of the above act of the Bollywood celebrities is noble and the symbolism isn't lost on anyone. Yet, the choice of words and the absence of sensibilities are appalling. It betrays not only a lack of research on the subject but also a fanatic avidity to pass judgement on blinkered notions. This is bigotry of another kind where a hearsay verdict is to be hurriedly delivered on the basis of one-sided accounts. No counter view is to be honoured even for the sake of balance, let alone for the sake of justice.

It's important to find out who's behind this orchestrated campaign that passes judgement on a place of worship even without a trial, and defames it without any consideration of the basic principles of natural justice.

Let's try to understand the complex social-demographic reality of Kathua, which goes to explain the contextuality of the episode and its fallout.

Kathua - or for that matter, whole of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba etc - has become an unfortunate battleground of a desperate social and demographic strife where constant grabbing (and also, purchasing) of forest lands by the Gujjar-Bakherwal settlers and the state government's alleged support to it, has created a deep suspicion in the minds of the locals who believe that the government is trying to change the demographic character of the region.

This, together with illegal presence of thousands of Rohingyas in Jammu region, is a thorn in the flesh of the psyche of the local people. And the fact that these Rohingyas have Aadhaar and ration cards raises questions on the role of local government.

Further, the Rohingyas are believed to have close ties with ISI. But no one knows how many of these settlers are having direct linkages with the ISI. It's a well-known fact that ISI is constantly evolving ideas to create disturbances in the Jammu region. Investigating agencies probing the recent attack on an Army camp in Sunjuwan are looking at the local support angle and the presence of Rohingya camps nearby might come under the scanner.

In the given scenario, the apprehension that ISI may be playing on this communal tension in the region by hatching a plot to get the girl killed and planting it on a temple, needs to be ruled out. It is apprehended by many local residents that the Rohingya may come as a handy tool to be used for such acts. Various reports have appeared in the media that have confirmed the presence of Rohingyas in the village where the girl was killed. Hence, it's important to allay the fears of the local people by getting to the bottom of the controversy through a fair inquiry.

Further, the circumstantial evidences of the murder create suspicion in the J&K government's chargesheet, which has been prepared by a SIT drawing police officials with dubious records. Using a temple for such a heinous act, and that too by an old man in mid-sixties, and that again for seven days - all create ample suspicions. The locals say that the 'Devisthaan' is a prayer hall with no locking facility and hence it is pretty impossible to keep somebody locked and sedated for seven days in the temple, which was regularly being visited by the devotees all throughout the period due to the festival of Makar Sankranti at the time of the alleged incident.

None of us, including the Bollywood celebrities, know what's the reality. Then what's the hurry to jump the gun and to declare somebody a culprit and drag a temple in the act even without a trial? Hasn't the Bollywood erred in pronouncing the Devisthaan to be a scene of crime even without an investigation? Wouldn't it be a good idea to be patient in passing a verdict until the matter was investigated in a free, fair and impartial manner?

Even more atrocious is the attempt to portray the local Kathua demonstrators as rape apologists. They're not. They're equally horrified by the crime. They're saying the same thing that the celebrities are saying - hold a fair investigation, a fair trial and give harshest possible punishment to the culprits, and for that, a CBI enquiry is needed to find out who the culprits really are. This is indeed required because the J&K Police, like the state police elsewhere, is known for its pliability, inefficiency and corruption.

Chances maybe that the persons arrested are the real culprits. But isn't it wise to give them a fair chance before hanging?

We know how state police conducts investigations and invent 'criminals' - remember Ryan International case of Gurgaon, how the bus driver was declared accused and how people were baying for his blood. However, a CBI inquiry proved him innocent. Thus, baying for the blood of the accused ones on the basis of the local police chargesheet, is nothing but a blunder in view of various counter evidences being floated.

The SIT made indiscriminate arrests of locals and subjected them to various forms of torture. People of the village in Kathua have never had such a harrowing experience ever in the past and are terrified. Many have left their village fearing even more trouble. These people are peaceful communities that hold their temples very precious. But, already their sense of pride is under attack.

Thus, asking for a CBI investigation by the Kathua demonstrators is nowhere an atrocious demand. It's rather the most appropriate act in the given circumstance. Maybe, for the first time ever, I have seen anyone asking for a CBI inquiry and being castigated for it. If Unnao rape case can be handed over to the CBI, why can't the Kathua case go to the same agency, especially when so many doubts have been raised on the composition and intention of the SIT?

Hence, for the Bollywood celebrities, the symbolism wouldn't have lost if they hadn't passed judgment on the 'Devisthaan' that demeaned it and, instead, had asked for a CBI inquiry to clear the air once for all.

I'm an Indian and I want justice for the girl through a CBI enquiry. What about you?

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Kathua - or for that matter, whole of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba etc - has become an unfortunate battleground of a desperate social and demographic strife.

It's a season of kitschy symbolism in Bollywood with celebrities after celebrities posting pictures with placards that say "I am ashamed", and demanding justice for an eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and murdered in Kathua. The wordings, style, tonality and content of the placards being the same through all the celebrities. The trend is not limited to the Bollywood alone most of the celebrities from different walks of life have been pronouncing the arrested people as 'rapists' and the temple as the 'scene of crime'. Adding the prefix "alleged" or using the word "suspect" has gone out of fashion in the new secular consciousness. The purpose of the above act of the Bollywood celebrities is noble and the symbolism isn't lost on anyone. Yet, the choice of words and the absence of sensibilities are appalling. It betrays not only a lack of research on the subject but also a fanatic avidity to pass judgement on blinkered notions. This is bigotry of another kind where a hearsay verdict is to be hurriedly delivered on the basis of one-sided accounts. No counter view is to be honoured even for the sake of balance, let alone for the sake of justice. It's important to find out who's behind this orchestrated campaign that passes judgement on a place of worship even without a trial, and defames it without any consideration of the basic principles of natural justice. Let's try to understand the complex social-demographic reality of Kathua, which goes to explain the contextuality of the episode and its fallout. Kathua - or for that matter, whole of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba etc - has become an unfortunate battleground of a desperate social and demographic strife where constant grabbing (and also, purchasing) of forest lands by the Gujjar-Bakherwal settlers and the state government's alleged support to it, has created a deep suspicion in the minds of the locals who believe that the government is trying to change the demographic character of the region. This, together with illegal presence of thousands of Rohingyas in Jammu region, is a thorn in the flesh of the psyche of the local people. And the fact that these Rohingyas have Aadhaar and ration cards raises questions on the role of local government. Further, the Rohingyas are believed to have close ties with ISI. But no one knows how many of these settlers are having direct linkages with the ISI. It's a well-known fact that ISI is constantly evolving ideas to create disturbances in the Jammu region. Investigating agencies probing the recent attack on an Army camp in Sunjuwan are looking at the local support angle and the presence of Rohingya camps nearby might come under the scanner. In the given scenario, the apprehension that ISI may be playing on this communal tension in the region by hatching a plot to get the girl killed and planting it on a temple, needs to be ruled out. It is apprehended by many local residents that the Rohingya may come as a handy tool to be used for such acts. Various reports have appeared in the media that have confirmed the presence of Rohingyas in the village where the girl was killed. Hence, it's important to allay the fears of the local people by getting to the bottom of the controversy through a fair inquiry. Further, the circumstantial evidences of the murder create suspicion in the J&K government's chargesheet, which has been prepared by a SIT drawing police officials with dubious records. Using a temple for such a heinous act, and that too by an old man in mid-sixties, and that again for seven days - all create ample suspicions. The locals say that the 'Devisthaan' is a prayer hall with no locking facility and hence it is pretty impossible to keep somebody locked and sedated for seven days in the temple, which was regularly being visited by the devotees all throughout the period due to the festival of Makar Sankranti at the time of the alleged incident. None of us, including the Bollywood celebrities, know what's the reality. Then what's the hurry to jump the gun and to declare somebody a culprit and drag a temple in the act even without a trial? Hasn't the Bollywood erred in pronouncing the Devisthaan to be a scene of crime even without an investigation? Wouldn't it be a good idea to be patient in passing a verdict until the matter was investigated in a free, fair and impartial manner? Even more atrocious is the attempt to portray the local Kathua demonstrators as rape apologists. They're not. They're equally horrified by the crime. They're saying the same thing that the celebrities are saying - hold a fair investigation, a fair trial and give harshest possible punishment to the culprits, and for that, a CBI enquiry is needed to find out who the culprits really are. This is indeed required because the J&K Police, like the state police elsewhere, is known for its pliability, inefficiency and corruption. Chances maybe that the persons arrested are the real culprits. But isn't it wise to give them a fair chance before hanging? We know how state police conducts investigations and invent 'criminals' - remember Ryan International case of Gurgaon, how the bus driver was declared accused and how people were baying for his blood. However, a CBI inquiry proved him innocent. Thus, baying for the blood of the accused ones on the basis of the local police chargesheet, is nothing but a blunder in view of various counter evidences being floated. The SIT made indiscriminate arrests of locals and subjected them to various forms of torture. People of the village in Kathua have never had such a harrowing experience ever in the past and are terrified. Many have left their village fearing even more trouble. These people are peaceful communities that hold their temples very precious. But, already their sense of pride is under attack. Thus, asking for a CBI investigation by the Kathua demonstrators is nowhere an atrocious demand. It's rather the most appropriate act in the given circumstance. Maybe, for the first time ever, I have seen anyone asking for a CBI inquiry and being castigated for it. If Unnao rape case can be handed over to the CBI, why can't the Kathua case go to the same agency, especially when so many doubts have been raised on the composition and intention of the SIT? Hence, for the Bollywood celebrities, the symbolism wouldn't have lost if they hadn't passed judgment on the 'Devisthaan' that demeaned it and, instead, had asked for a CBI inquiry to clear the air once for all. I'm an Indian and I want justice for the girl through a CBI enquiry. What about you? (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: The Kathua case and Bollywood's pernicious symbolism

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-darkest-hour-response-of-government-inadequate-49-former-bureaucrats-write-to-pm-modi-after-kathua-unnao-gang-rapes-130680">'Our darkest hour... </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-darkest-hour-response-of-government-inadequate-49-former-bureaucrats-write-to-pm-modi-after-kathua-unnao-gang-rapes-130680">response</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-darkest-hour-response-of-government-inadequate-49-former-bureaucrats-write-to-pm-modi-after-kathua-unnao-gang-rapes-130680"> of govt inadequate,' 49 ex-bureaucrats write to PM Modi after Kathua, Unnao</a>

Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes. "In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/andhra-special-status-call-for-statewide-bandh-today-130688">Andhra special status: Call for statewide bandh today</a>

Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti on Monday observed a one-day statewide bandh over the demand of Special Status for the state. Opposition parties such as &nbsp;Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Congress and Left parties have extended support to the strike.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/iits-to-add-779-more-seats-exclusively-for-women-applicants-130683">To improve gender imbalance, IITs to add 779 more seats exclusively for women</a>

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year. Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur told ANI that the decision by the institutes will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-win-epl-start-of-a-dynasty-130675">Manchester City </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-win-epl-start-of-a-dynasty-130675">win</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-win-epl-start-of-a-dynasty-130675"> EPL. Start of a dynasty?</a>

By winning their third title in seven seasons since first being backed by the petro-dollars of Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour, Manchester City can justifiably claim to be the outstanding Premier League club of the current decade.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693"> preparing new sanctions on Russia over </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693">Syria,</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693"> says Haley</a>

The United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its continued support of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Sunday.

'Our darkest hour... response of govt inadequate,' 49 ex-bureaucrats write to PM Modi after Kathua, Unnao Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes. "In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter. Andhra special status: Call for statewide bandh today Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti on Monday observed a one-day statewide bandh over the demand of Special Status for the state. Opposition parties such as Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Congress and Left parties have extended support to the strike. To improve gender imbalance, IITs to add 779 more seats exclusively for women The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year. Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur told ANI that the decision by the institutes will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs. Manchester City win EPL. Start of a dynasty? By winning their third title in seven seasons since first being backed by the petro-dollars of Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour, Manchester City can justifiably claim to be the outstanding Premier League club of the current decade. US preparing new sanctions on Russia over Syria, says Haley The United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its continued support of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Sunday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The father of the eight-year-old&nbsp;child who was brutally raped and killed in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir has demanded a death penalty for the culprits.

Expressing a fear for his life he also said that there was a need&nbsp;for having security.

He said " We want justice, the culprits should be hanged. We feel the need for having security as anything can happen".

The mother of the victim also demanded a justice for her daughter's horrific rape and death.&nbsp;

The father of the child had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court today seeking a transfer of the case to Chandigarh.

The request for the transfer of the case came after the victim's lawyer claimed that the circumstances in the state would not allow for a fair trial.

Following this, the apex court issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Supreme Court also directed the J&K government to provide police protection to victim's family members and the counsel representing them.

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Father of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kathua?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kathua</a> rape victim says, 'We want justice, the culprits should be hanged. We feel the need for having security as anything can happen.' Mother says, 'We just want justice for my daughter.' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a> <a href="https://t.co/TR9i39smm7">pic.twitter.com/TR9i39smm7</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/985852208276213762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Expressing a fear for his life he also said that there was a need for having security

The father of the eight-year-old child who was brutally raped and killed in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir has demanded a death penalty for the culprits. Expressing a fear for his life he also said that there was a need for having security. He said " We want justice, the culprits should be hanged. We feel the need for having security as anything can happen". The mother of the victim also demanded a justice for her daughter's horrific rape and death. The father of the child had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court today seeking a transfer of the case to Chandigarh. The request for the transfer of the case came after the victim's lawyer claimed that the circumstances in the state would not allow for a fair trial. Following this, the apex court issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir government. Supreme Court also directed the J&K government to provide police protection to victim's family members and the counsel representing them. Father of #Kathua rape victim says, 'We want justice, the culprits should be hanged. We feel the need for having security as anything can happen.' Mother says, 'We just want justice for my daughter.' #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/TR9i39smm7 — ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018 ×

Kathua rape victim's father demands death penalty for culprits

The Supreme <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/trial-in-kathua-gang-rape-case-begins-130724">Court today issued a notice to</a> the Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) government on a petition filed by Kathua rape victim's father seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh.

The victim's lawyer Indira Jaysingh said circumstances in J&K&nbsp;do not allow for a fair trial, therefore the case should be transferred out of the state.&nbsp;

Jaysingh said: "The atmosphere is not conducive for a fair trial. It is highly polarised."

Supreme Court also directed the J&K government to provide police protection to victim's family members and the counsel representing them.

Indira Jaising told the Supreme Court that the state police had done a good job and arrested all the accused persons on&nbsp;scientific&nbsp;evidence.

The next hearing on of the case is slated on April 27.

Meanwhile, the eight accused who allegedly gang raped the 8-year-old girl pleaded "not guilty"&nbsp;before the court today.

The defence said the accused were ready to undergo a narco test.&nbsp;

While seven accused were presented before the district and sessions judge, the eighth is a juvenile who moved a bail application before a judicial magistrate.&nbsp;

The alleged gangrape and murder of the girl, who belonged to the nomadic Muslim community, took place in the Kathua district in January. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.&nbsp;

The incident has touched off a national debate in the country with several people from civil society including those in government, media and film personalities condemning the gangrape and killing of the 8-year-old who belonged to a nomadic Muslim community. 
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The defence said the accused were ready to undergo a narco test.

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) government on a petition filed by Kathua rape victim's father seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh. The victim's lawyer Indira Jaysingh said circumstances in J&K do not allow for a fair trial, therefore the case should be transferred out of the state. Jaysingh said: "The atmosphere is not conducive for a fair trial. It is highly polarised." Supreme Court also directed the J&K government to provide police protection to victim's family members and the counsel representing them. Indira Jaising told the Supreme Court that the state police had done a good job and arrested all the accused persons on scientific evidence. The next hearing on of the case is slated on April 27. Meanwhile, the eight accused who allegedly gang raped the 8-year-old girl pleaded "not guilty" before the court today. The defence said the accused were ready to undergo a narco test. While seven accused were presented before the district and sessions judge, the eighth is a juvenile who moved a bail application before a judicial magistrate. The alleged gangrape and murder of the girl, who belonged to the nomadic Muslim community, took place in the Kathua district in January. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17. The incident has touched off a national debate in the country with several people from civil society including those in government, media and film personalities condemning the gangrape and killing of the 8-year-old who belonged to a nomadic Muslim community.

Kathua gang rape: Victim's father seeks transfer of case from J&K

The counsel of the Kathua rape victim's family,&nbsp;Deepika S Rajawat, has said that her life was in danger and she would approach the Supreme Court on Monday.

Expressing the&nbsp;fear of getting raped or killed, the&nbsp;counsel said&nbsp;that&nbsp;she&nbsp;does not know&nbsp;how&nbsp;long was she&nbsp;going to live.

She also added that she was threatened on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She said " I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened&nbsp;yesterday that ' we will not forgive you". I am going to tell Supreme Court tomorrow that I am in danger".

The trial in the horrific rape case of the eight-year-old child will begin on Monday.&nbsp;

An eight-year-old was gang-raped and murdered&nbsp;in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.

The culprits drugged her and held her in captive in a small temple for several days before brutally killing her with a rock.

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I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC tomorrow that I am in danger: Deepika S Rajawat, Counsel, Kathua victim's family <a href="https://t.co/khXFELUqZe">pic.twitter.com/khXFELUqZe</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/985545570407337985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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'I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you,' Deepika S Rajawat said

The counsel of the Kathua rape victim's family, Deepika S Rajawat, has said that her life was in danger and she would approach the Supreme Court on Monday. Expressing the fear of getting raped or killed, the counsel said that she does not know how long was she going to live. She also added that she was threatened on Saturday. She said " I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that ' we will not forgive you". I am going to tell Supreme Court tomorrow that I am in danger". The trial in the horrific rape case of the eight-year-old child will begin on Monday. An eight-year-old was gang-raped and murdered in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua. The culprits drugged her and held her in captive in a small temple for several days before brutally killing her with a rock. I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC tomorrow that I am in danger: Deepika S Rajawat, Counsel, Kathua victim's family pic.twitter.com/khXFELUqZe — ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2018 ×

Don't know till when I will be alive: Kathua victim's family's lawyer

The Bar Association Kathua (BAK) on Sunday withdrew its offer to contest without charge the case of the eight people accused in the rape and murder case of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in the district.

The BAK's decision comes a day after the Supreme Court took a serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process and initiated a case on its own accord saying such impeding of the process of law "affects the delivery of justice".

The top court said that lawyers' bodies have a solemn duty to not obstruct advocates representing the accused or the victims' family in courts.

"We have withdrawn our offer to contest the case free of cost. Accused are free to engage any individual advocate and exercise their respective rights of defence in the court. It is for any individual advocate to accept the brief and the bar association will not come in the way of defence nor will hamper the prosecution," BAK president Kirty Bhushan Mahajan said.

Mahajan said after going through the charge sheet presented by the Crime Branch, it is revealed that the allegations against the accused persons are very grave and this case is to be dealt with in a professional way.

Claiming that the association members never obstructed the Crime Branch from filing the charge sheet against the accused, he announced an end to the agitation in support of the demand for a CBI probe but said the same probe would be made in legal manner before the court as per applicable law.

"The CBI investigation was demanded to find out and bring on surface as to who actually had started playing communal card during the entire period of time. We want justice to the poor departed soul whereas it is evident that the fringe elements are making it communal under an agenda," he said.

However, the bar will explore the legal option for CBI probe so that the real culprits (may be they are the same as mentioned in charge sheet of crime branch) are punished with the capital punishment and nothing less than that.

Distancing the association with the Hindu Ekta Manch, he said the bar has no "direct or indirect association" with the self-styled Manch.

The Kathua Bar Association's (BAK) decision comes a day after the Supreme Court took a serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process and initiated a case on its own accord saying such impeding of the process of law "affects the delivery of justice".

The Bar Association Kathua (BAK) on Sunday withdrew its offer to contest without charge the case of the eight people accused in the rape and murder case of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in the district. The BAK's decision comes a day after the Supreme Court took a serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process and initiated a case on its own accord saying such impeding of the process of law "affects the delivery of justice". The top court said that lawyers' bodies have a solemn duty to not obstruct advocates representing the accused or the victims' family in courts. "We have withdrawn our offer to contest the case free of cost. Accused are free to engage any individual advocate and exercise their respective rights of defence in the court. It is for any individual advocate to accept the brief and the bar association will not come in the way of defence nor will hamper the prosecution," BAK president Kirty Bhushan Mahajan said. Mahajan said after going through the charge sheet presented by the Crime Branch, it is revealed that the allegations against the accused persons are very grave and this case is to be dealt with in a professional way. Claiming that the association members never obstructed the Crime Branch from filing the charge sheet against the accused, he announced an end to the agitation in support of the demand for a CBI probe but said the same probe would be made in legal manner before the court as per applicable law. "The CBI investigation was demanded to find out and bring on surface as to who actually had started playing communal card during the entire period of time. We want justice to the poor departed soul whereas it is evident that the fringe elements are making it communal under an agenda," he said. However, the bar will explore the legal option for CBI probe so that the real culprits (may be they are the same as mentioned in charge sheet of crime branch) are punished with the capital punishment and nothing less than that. Distancing the association with the Hindu Ekta Manch, he said the bar has no "direct or indirect association" with the self-styled Manch.

Kathua Bar Association withdraws offer to contest rape accused's case for free

The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Sunday asked the Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) to call off its strike.

It further announced that it will constitute a five-member team to probe the conduct of the association in the Kathua rape and murder case.

The team will visit Kathua and Jammu and will talk to people about the conduct of Bar Association.

The committee will submit the report to the Bar Council which will further submit the report to Supreme Court on April 19.

The chairman of the Bar Council of India also said that "If any lawyer is found guilty in the case, we have the rights to cancel their license for a lifetime".

An FIR was registered against the lawyers who had tried to block the filing of a charge sheet by the Crime Branch against the people involved in&nbsp;Kathua rape case.

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The chairman of the Bar Council of India also said that 'If any lawyer is found guilty in the case, we have the rights to cancel their license for a lifetime'

The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Sunday asked the Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) to call off its strike. It further announced that it will constitute a five-member team to probe the conduct of the association in the Kathua rape and murder case. The team will visit Kathua and Jammu and will talk to people about the conduct of Bar Association. The committee will submit the report to the Bar Council which will further submit the report to Supreme Court on April 19. The chairman of the Bar Council of India also said that "If any lawyer is found guilty in the case, we have the rights to cancel their license for a lifetime". An FIR was registered against the lawyers who had tried to block the filing of a charge sheet by the Crime Branch against the people involved in Kathua rape case.

Kathua gang rape: Bar Council of India to probe Jammu lawyers' conduct

The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has accepted&nbsp;the resignation of BJP state ministers Chander Prakash Ganga and Lal&nbsp;Singh.&nbsp;

The two ministers&nbsp;Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga resigned from the party on Friday over massive outrage that emerged following their participation in a rally that was organised in support of the accused in Kathua gang rape and murder.

The resignations were submitted by BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday.&nbsp;

Ram Madhav also admitted that the two ministers showed a lack of discretion by participating in the rally.&nbsp;However, he added that the accusation&nbsp;put up by the opposition that the two ministers were pro rapist is "absolutely wrong".

According to senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, the resignation of the ministers was to address the fears of not only its ally PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the entire nation.

Mehbooba Mufti has forwarded the resignation of the two ministers to the state Governor.

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The two ministers, Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, resigned from the party on Friday following massive over their participation in a rally organised in support of the Kathua gang rape and murder accused

The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has accepted the resignation of BJP state ministers Chander Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh. The two ministers Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga resigned from the party on Friday over massive outrage that emerged following their participation in a rally that was organised in support of the accused in Kathua gang rape and murder. The resignations were submitted by BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday. Ram Madhav also admitted that the two ministers showed a lack of discretion by participating in the rally. However, he added that the accusation put up by the opposition that the two ministers were pro rapist is "absolutely wrong". According to senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, the resignation of the ministers was to address the fears of not only its ally PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the entire nation. Mehbooba Mufti has forwarded the resignation of the two ministers to the state Governor.

Kathua gang rape: J&K CM Mufti accepts resignations of 2 BJP ministers

People's Democratic Party leader Naeem Akhtar has hinted on introducing a new law in Jammu and Kashmir for punishing rape convicts of minors.

He said that the new law will give a death penalty to the people who rape minors.

He said " I want justice for the eight-year-old at the earliest. This government will soon bring a law in the state under which people who rape minors will be given death penalty. Entire nation has come with her."

Also read: <a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/maneka-gandhi-proposes-death-penalty-for-rape-of-children-below-12-years-130267">Maneka Gandhi proposes </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/maneka-gandhi-proposes-death-penalty-for-rape-of-children-below-12-years-130267">death</a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/maneka-gandhi-proposes-death-penalty-for-rape-of-children-below-12-years-130267"> penalty for rape of children below 12 years</a>

The PDP minister's proposal has come in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of the eight-year-old in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

The eight-year-old was allegedly&nbsp;gang-raped by a group of men who held her in captive in a small temple&nbsp;for several days. The accused drugged her and repeatedly gang-raped&nbsp;her for days before finally killing&nbsp;her with a rock.

A day before&nbsp;Union minister Maneka Gandhi also proposed of introducing a&nbsp;death penalty for children before the age of 12 years.&nbsp;

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I want justice for the 8-year-old at the earliest. This govt will soon bring a law in the state under which people who rape minors will be given death penalty. Entire nation has come with her: Naeem Akhtar, PDP on Kathua rape case <a href="https://t.co/1awn8jIgVL">pic.twitter.com/1awn8jIgVL</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/985138879891169281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said 'I want justice for the eight-year-old at the earliest. This government will soon bring a law in the state under which people who rape minors will be given death penalty. Entire nation has come with her'

People's Democratic Party leader Naeem Akhtar has hinted on introducing a new law in Jammu and Kashmir for punishing rape convicts of minors. He said that the new law will give a death penalty to the people who rape minors. He said " I want justice for the eight-year-old at the earliest. This government will soon bring a law in the state under which people who rape minors will be given death penalty. Entire nation has come with her." Also read: Maneka Gandhi proposes death penalty for rape of children below 12 years The PDP minister's proposal has come in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of the eight-year-old in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. The eight-year-old was allegedly gang-raped by a group of men who held her in captive in a small temple for several days. The accused drugged her and repeatedly gang-raped her for days before finally killing her with a rock. A day before Union minister Maneka Gandhi also proposed of introducing a death penalty for children before the age of 12 years. I want justice for the 8-year-old at the earliest. This govt will soon bring a law in the state under which people who rape minors will be given death penalty. Entire nation has come with her: Naeem Akhtar, PDP on Kathua rape case pic.twitter.com/1awn8jIgVL — ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2018 ×

J&K to bring law punishing rapists of minors with death: PDP minister

As the Bakerwals make their way to the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir with their belongings, she trudges along burdened by the weight of her eight-year-old daughter's death.

"She was so beautiful and intelligent. I wanted her to be a doctor when she grew up," the mother of the girl reminisces.

The grief-stricken mother wishes for death penalty for the guilty.

"My only wish is the culprits should be hanged for the heinous crime, so that no other family has to go through it," she says.

The girl was adopted by the woman's brother and his wife in Rasana hamlet of Kathua district when she was one year old.

Still in shock, she blames herself for leaving her daughter at brother's house.

"Why was she killed? She was grazing cattle and taking care of horses. She was eight years old. Why did they kill her in such a brutal way. They should be given death sentence," she says.

The girl's father said she was at maternal uncle's home in Rasana.

"The killers should be given death penalty. We do not need a CBI probe, we have faith in investigation by the Crime Branch," he says.

Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal rape and killing of the girl belonging to the nomadic Muslim Bakerwal community.

Her body was found in Rasana forest on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area.

The couple along with their two kids and cattle left their hamlet in Samba and in Round-Domail in Udhampur district as part of their annual trek to Sanasar mountainous belt.

The mother says that earlier they had good relations with Hindus and lived in harmony with them.

"But after this incident, the relations have soured and we are fearful. We only want justice for her. She was our dear child. She was beautiful and we loved her," she says.

They wanted take her back, teach her and make her a doctor, the mother said, adding that she was very intelligent.

"The prime minister had said "Beti Padavo Beti Bachavo" but how are they teaching and saving girls like this," her adoptive father asks.

"The ministers are supporting the rape accused, saying that they are innocent, but they are wrong," he says.

The biological father says the world knows that their daughter, who did not know about the difference between Hindus and Muslims, was wronged and murdered in most barbaric manner.

"The world and entire India knows it. They are supporting them. I do not say she was our only child, she was everyone's child. The incident should not be looked at through the religious lens," he said.

On January 23, the government had handed over the case to the Crime Branch of the state police which formed a special investigation team and arrested eight people including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a head constable.

The police have arrested eight people in the case, but the Bar Association has opposed the action, alleging targeting of minority Dogras.&nbsp;

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The girl was adopted by the woman's brother and his wife in Rasana hamlet of Kathua district when she was one year old

As the Bakerwals make their way to the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir with their belongings, she trudges along burdened by the weight of her eight-year-old daughter's death. "She was so beautiful and intelligent. I wanted her to be a doctor when she grew up," the mother of the girl reminisces. The grief-stricken mother wishes for death penalty for the guilty. "My only wish is the culprits should be hanged for the heinous crime, so that no other family has to go through it," she says. The girl was adopted by the woman's brother and his wife in Rasana hamlet of Kathua district when she was one year old. Still in shock, she blames herself for leaving her daughter at brother's house. "Why was she killed? She was grazing cattle and taking care of horses. She was eight years old. Why did they kill her in such a brutal way. They should be given death sentence," she says. The girl's father said she was at maternal uncle's home in Rasana. "The killers should be given death penalty. We do not need a CBI probe, we have faith in investigation by the Crime Branch," he says. Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal rape and killing of the girl belonging to the nomadic Muslim Bakerwal community. Her body was found in Rasana forest on January 17, a week after she went missing while grazing horses in the forest area. The couple along with their two kids and cattle left their hamlet in Samba and in Round-Domail in Udhampur district as part of their annual trek to Sanasar mountainous belt. The mother says that earlier they had good relations with Hindus and lived in harmony with them. "But after this incident, the relations have soured and we are fearful. We only want justice for her. She was our dear child. She was beautiful and we loved her," she says. They wanted take her back, teach her and make her a doctor, the mother said, adding that she was very intelligent. "The prime minister had said "Beti Padavo Beti Bachavo" but how are they teaching and saving girls like this," her adoptive father asks. "The ministers are supporting the rape accused, saying that they are innocent, but they are wrong," he says. The biological father says the world knows that their daughter, who did not know about the difference between Hindus and Muslims, was wronged and murdered in most barbaric manner. "The world and entire India knows it. They are supporting them. I do not say she was our only child, she was everyone's child. The incident should not be looked at through the religious lens," he said. On January 23, the government had handed over the case to the Crime Branch of the state police which formed a special investigation team and arrested eight people including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a head constable. The police have arrested eight people in the case, but the Bar Association has opposed the action, alleging targeting of minority Dogras.

Kathua child gang rape: Want to see culprits hanged, says victim's family

The resignations of two BJP ministers, who courted controversy by attending a rally supporting those accused of raping and killing a young girl in Kathua, will be handed over to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for further action, said senior BJP leader Ram Madhav.

The senior BJP leader said the resignation of the ministers was to address the fears of not only its ally PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the entire nation.

Madhav, who is the party's general secretary in-charge of the state, also said that the state government was told to withdraw the directive of the tribal affairs department on encroachments by nomads in forest land.

Madhav, who attened the legislative party meeting of the state BJP MLAs and MLC, said state party president Sat Sharma will send the resignations to the chief minister.

Forest Minister Lal Singh and Industries Minister Chander Prakash Ganga tendered their resignation in view of a perception being created, he said.

He lashed out at the Congress, alleging that it was trying to politicise the issue which should not be done.

"We, including the BJP which is in the government, will ensure justice for the girl and punishment for the culprits," he said.

Asked about the demand for a CBI probe into the incident, the BJP leader said, "The police have completed the probe and now it is in the court of law. It is for the court to decide."

Ganga and Singh had hit out at the police for arresting "one or the other person at will" in connection with the rape and killing of the 8-year-old girl in January this year.

Asking why the probe was not being handed over to the CBI, Lal Singh had said, "We too want that the real accused be punished... We have heard you. We will not allow this jungle raj, under which they (police) are picking up people at will, to continue. What kind of investigation are they doing?

The 'Hindu Ekta Manch', from which the BJP distanced itself, had also taken out a rally holding a tricolour to press for their demand.

The incident and use of national flag had evoked sharp reaction from Mufti.

"Appalled by the marches and protests in defence of the recently apprehended rapist in Kathua. Also horrified by their use of our national flag in these demonstrations, this is nothing short of desecration. The accused has been arrested and the law will follow its course," she tweeted.&nbsp;

The senior BJP leader said the resignation of the ministers was to address the fears of not only its ally PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the entire nation

The resignations of two BJP ministers, who courted controversy by attending a rally supporting those accused of raping and killing a young girl in Kathua, will be handed over to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for further action, said senior BJP leader Ram Madhav. The senior BJP leader said the resignation of the ministers was to address the fears of not only its ally PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir but also the entire nation. Madhav, who is the party's general secretary in-charge of the state, also said that the state government was told to withdraw the directive of the tribal affairs department on encroachments by nomads in forest land. Madhav, who attened the legislative party meeting of the state BJP MLAs and MLC, said state party president Sat Sharma will send the resignations to the chief minister. Forest Minister Lal Singh and Industries Minister Chander Prakash Ganga tendered their resignation in view of a perception being created, he said. He lashed out at the Congress, alleging that it was trying to politicise the issue which should not be done. "We, including the BJP which is in the government, will ensure justice for the girl and punishment for the culprits," he said. Asked about the demand for a CBI probe into the incident, the BJP leader said, "The police have completed the probe and now it is in the court of law. It is for the court to decide." Ganga and Singh had hit out at the police for arresting "one or the other person at will" in connection with the rape and killing of the 8-year-old girl in January this year. Asking why the probe was not being handed over to the CBI, Lal Singh had said, "We too want that the real accused be punished... We have heard you. We will not allow this jungle raj, under which they (police) are picking up people at will, to continue. What kind of investigation are they doing? The 'Hindu Ekta Manch', from which the BJP distanced itself, had also taken out a rally holding a tricolour to press for their demand. The incident and use of national flag had evoked sharp reaction from Mufti. "Appalled by the marches and protests in defence of the recently apprehended rapist in Kathua. Also horrified by their use of our national flag in these demonstrations, this is nothing short of desecration. The accused has been arrested and the law will follow its course," she tweeted.

Resignations of BJP ministers to be handed to J&K CM Mufti: Ram Madhav

Facing flak over Kathua and Unnao rape cases, the BJP today said those accused should be given a stringent punishment and claimed that the police acted quickly in both the matters.

BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi defended the two party's ministers, who had joined a rally against the police probe in the Kathua rape and murder case, claiming that they were "misled" into attending the protest.

In a press conference, Lekhi also accused the opposition parties of doing dangerous politics&nbsp;over these incidents.

She said Bar Association of Jammu president B S Slathia, who spearheaded the protest in Kathua, was Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's polling agent in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Lekhi also claimed that these two incidents were selectively highlighted to target the BJP and said that a similar case of rape and murder of a minor girl in Assam had happened, but it never got the prominence that the Kathua and Unnao cases have got.

An eight-year-old girl from the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community disappeared near her house on January 10 in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district.

A week later, her body was found in the same area.

In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017.

In February, the girl's family moved the court seeking to include the MLA's name in the rape case.

After filing of the case, the victim's father was booked by the police under the Arms Act on April 3 this year and put in jail, where he died on April 8.&nbsp;

In a press conference, Lekhi also accused the opposition parties of doing dangerous politics over these incidents.

Facing flak over Kathua and Unnao rape cases, the BJP today said those accused should be given a stringent punishment and claimed that the police acted quickly in both the matters. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi defended the two party's ministers, who had joined a rally against the police probe in the Kathua rape and murder case, claiming that they were "misled" into attending the protest. In a press conference, Lekhi also accused the opposition parties of doing dangerous politics over these incidents. She said Bar Association of Jammu president B S Slathia, who spearheaded the protest in Kathua, was Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's polling agent in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Lekhi also claimed that these two incidents were selectively highlighted to target the BJP and said that a similar case of rape and murder of a minor girl in Assam had happened, but it never got the prominence that the Kathua and Unnao cases have got. An eight-year-old girl from the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community disappeared near her house on January 10 in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. A week later, her body was found in the same area. In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017. In February, the girl's family moved the court seeking to include the MLA's name in the rape case. After filing of the case, the victim's father was booked by the police under the Arms Act on April 3 this year and put in jail, where he died on April 8.

Give stringent punishment to perpetrators of Kathua, Unnao cases: BJP

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