Farooq Abdullah wants capital punishment in Kathua-like cases
AMRITSAR:FORMER chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said his party would bring a law to award capital punishment in Kathua like cases, if it came back to power in the state.
Abdullah was in Amritsar to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.
Commenting on the Kathua rape case, Abdullah said, “It is painful that an eight-year-old girl was brutally gang-raped and killed.
“On one side, we respect women, treat girl child as a goddess and kiss their feet, but on the other side such incidents bring shame to us. Kathua like rapes are happening all over India just because our government fails to make any stringent law against rapists. We attained independence from foreign powers, but the country is still victimised by such crimes.”
Abdullah’s comments came in the wake of the Kathua rape case, in which an eight-year-old muslim nomadic girl was allegedly abducted, drugged, gangraped, tortured and killed.
‘INDIA-PAK SHOULD ERADICATE TERRORISM THROUGH DIALOGUES’
The former chief minister said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised an aide of Rs 80,000 crore for the overall development of J&K, which should be released immediately as the state has been reeling under many problems like unemployment and poverty.”
He said the only source of income for Jammu & Kashmir is tourism, which is affected badly due to terrorism in the state.
“For flourishing tourism, terrorist activities should be eradicated completely. I request the government of India and Pakistan to sort out the issue through dialogues,” he added.
“Dialogue between both the nations will improve bilateral relations,” the former NC president said.
‘2019 POLLS SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT RELIGION’
“As 2019 elections are coming, I hope that the election does not separate religions in India,” the NC president said.
Appealing all political parties to not fight elections in the name of religion, Abdullah said,“making India more progressive should be the agenda during the elections. If political parties go ahead for religious polities, it will weaken the country.”
Abdullah has been accusing the BJP of indulging in ‘divisive politics’ and attempts of ‘sowing seeds of hatred and mistrust’ among various communities for petty political gains.
‘I GET PEACE IN GOLDEN TEMPLE (IN AMRITSAR)’
Abdullah, also a member of Parliament, said he gets peace and tranquillity after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple.
“People come here to seek pardon for their sins from the almighty. I prayed to ‘Waheguru’ for peace and integrity in India,” he said.