MINISTER TAKES A UTURN ON ‘STONE PELTERS SHOULD BE SHOT’ REMARK

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir industries and commerce minister Chander Prakash Ganga, who triggered a controversy with his remark that stonethrowers should be ‘dealt with bullet’ , on Thursday said that the video, which has gone viral on the social media has been doctored.

Speaking to Hindustan Times over phone, Chander Prakash Ganga, BJP MLA from Vijaypur, said, “The video, which has gone viral on social sites has been doctored. I had said the enemies of the country, either from Pakistan or internal, should be dealt with sternly and for them bullet for bullet should be the approach. I had spoken about Farooq Abdullah, who termed stone-throwers as nationalist. The video is doctored.”

However, in the “doctored” video, Ganga can be seen and heard saying: “Just see the video, when beaten up with sticks they (stone-throwers) shout slogans of ‘Death to Pakistan’. This is the way to treat them. No need to pamper them... a traitor needs a bullet. If not the bullet then at least severe punishments… Mark my words and see whether they will pelt stones again,” Ganga reportedly told local media in Ramgarh area .

Stone pelting is a common form of protest in the Valley with 2,690 cases registered in 2016, according to the state government figures. On Tuesday, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti asked the security forces to exercise restraint to avoid casualties in an apparent bid to bring about peace in the restive Valley.

Ganga’s diatribe comes at a time when videos of security personnel being manhandled by mobs in Kashmir has triggered outraged across the country.

MINISTER GANGA SAYS VIRAL VIDEO SHOWING HIM ASKING FOR STRICTER PUNISHMENT FOR STONE THROWERS HAS BEEN DOCTORED