Choudhary Lal Singh calls Kathua case 'conspiracy' against people of Jammu, reiterates demand for CBI probe

Jammu: Senior BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh said on Monday that there was a “conspiracy” to defame the people of Jammu over the gruesome rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, and reiterated the demand for a CBI probe into it. [caption id=“attachment_4436133” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of BJP leaders Choudhary Lal Singh. PTI[/caption] Singh, who resigned from the Jammu and Kashmir council of ministers after courting controversy by attending a rally in support of the accused in the case, questioned the state government and “Kashmir-centric people” about their objection to a CBI probe. “I want to ask those against CBI probe whether they think CBI is a Pakistan agency,” he said. “Shame on those who dubbed Dogras of Jammu as pro-rapists. They will be exposed. The perception created by national media and some Kashmir-centric people that Dogras are pro-rapists was a conspiracy against Jammu and its Dogras to defame and weaken them,” Singh told reporters in Jammu. Singh, who has organised over 30 rallies in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, and Reasi district since he resigned as minister last month, said, “We will force the government to conduct a CBI probe. CBI probe will restore the respect of Dogras and provide justice to the victim girl.” “We want CBI probe and will not stop till CBI probe is ordered,” he said. The girl, belonging to a nomadic community, was abducted, gang-raped and murdered in January this year. The case triggered a nationwide outrage.