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Jammu residents resent politicization

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 3/14/2018 12:05:42 AM

‘Don’t appropriate family’s sufferings for political ends’

JAMMU, Mar 13: A group of eminent personalities in Jammu Tuesday expressed anguish over the “unprecedented politicization, communalization and regional polarization around rape and murder of Asifa Bano, an eight-year-old-girl-child of Rassana village, Hiranagar, Kathua district.”
“As citizens of the state and as residents of Jammu, we deplore the rape and murder of eight-year old child Asifa Bano. We share the grief of the family. We express our deep anguish over the unprecedented politicization, communalization, and regional polarization around the issue. We strongly condemn the attempt of groups of various hues to appropriate the suffering of the family of the victim for their own political ends,” the joint statement issued by Jammu residents said.
They added that the case should be seen as a heinous crime committed against a girl child. “We urge that it should be seen as a heinous wrong committed against a girl child by criminals and not be linked with a particular community,” they said.
“Any such attempt provides for a justification to obfuscate, and shield the culprits. Since the investigations are already being monitored by the High Court, there is no excuse to delay them. We demand a speedy trial and justice, thereof, through a fast-track court,” the statement read.
The signatories included Ellora Puri (Faculty, Department of Political Science, University of Jammu; honorary Director, Institute of J&K Affairs), Rekha Chowdhary (retired Professor of Political Science, University of Jammu), Binoo Joshi (journalist), Kavita Suri (HoD, Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu; Member, J&K State Women's Commission), Vishav Raksha (HoD, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu), Ifra Kak (theatre artist, and Cultural Officer, University of Jammu), Aditi Gupta (artist and research scholar), Shaista Masood (columnist and social activist), Santosh Khajuria (president, Mahila Adhikar Sangathan, Kathua), Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal (journalist, Executive Editor Kashmir Times), Lalit Mangotra (president Dogri Sahitya Sanstha; convener Dogri Advisory Board, Sahitya Academy), Rajinder Tikku (Padma Shri; sculptor), Mushtaq Kak (film personality) K B Jandial (retired IAS officer), Lalit Gupta (theatre activist), Deepak Kumar (theatre activist), Kunwar Shakti Singh (journalist), Annil Suri (entrepreneur), BL Saraf (columnist and retired judge), Shiban Koul (social activist; civil servant), Swami Antar Nirav (poet), Kuldip Singh Charak (Faculty, University of Jammu; president, Jammu University Teachers' Association), Sandeep Sandy (Faculty, University of Jammu; secretary, Jammu University Teachers' Association), Vikram Sahi (poet; Faculty, University of Jammu; joint secretary, Jammu University Teachers' Association), Sant Kumar Sharma (journalist), Pradeep Dutta (journalist)
Syed Junaid(journalist), Kamaljeet Singh (Editor, Kathua Today), A V Gupta (senior advocate), Sheikh Ahmed Shakeel (advocate), Raman Sharma (RTI activist), Aditya Gupta (advocate), Ayjaz Lone (advocate), Irfaan Khan (advocate), Vakar Salaria (advocate), and Yasser Mushtaq (advocate).
On Monday, the Chief Minister Mehbooba too had described as “unethical” any rally or demonstration in support of the accused of rape-cum-murder of minor girl in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district.
“The case is being investigated thoroughly by a very competent police authority under the supervision of highest court of the State. Any rally or demonstration in support of the accused are unethical,” Mehbooba had tweeted. She said, “The law of land is supreme and justice will prevail.”
“Some people are creating misgivings about the progress in Kathua case. There is no scope for any misunderstanding about nature of the investigation or the process followed,” she had said in couple of tweets.