Kathua/Samba (Jammu): Kathua, a nondescript district in the southern part of Jammu Division, had hit the headlines in 2018 when an 8-year-old Bakerwal girl was brutally gang-raped and murdered. Local politicians like Chaudhary Lal Singh and Chandra Prakash Ganga had supported some of the accused in the case, drawing flak from many quarters. But six years later, the issue is almost forgotten and both leaders are in the fray in the on-going Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections from different constituencies.
Lal Singh is the Congress candidate from Basohli seat in Kathua district (Kathua Assembly seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste). He recently lost the Lok Sabha elections from Udhampur seat to union minister Jitendra Singh of the BJP. A popular though controversial figure, Lal Singh has the image of a tough guy who gets the job done. He had won from Basohli in 2014 on a BJP ticket months after then party chief Amit Shah inducted him at a program in Kathua. He served as minister of Environment and Forest in the PDP-BJP government from 2015 to 2018 when the state came under Governor’s Rule.
Chandra Prakash Ganga is the BJP candidate from Vijaypur seat in Kathua district. He too had come out in support of some of those accused in the rape-murder but was not as vocal as Singh.
When the Kathua gang rape-murder case came to light in 2018, Singh had quit seat in the wake of anger over his support to the accused. Later he demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.
When ET visited his house in Kathua, his staff said he is camping in Basohli (an uphill constituency) and rarely visits. Singh himself was evasive when this correspondent asked him about the Kathua case and would put the phone down every time the issue was raised during a few calls.
Locals appear disinterested in the case in which seven people (including a juvenile) were accused.
“She was a Bakarwal tribal girl. These tribals come down from the hills during the winters and then go back again in the summers. One does not really know who all were involved. People have a short memory and move on,” said a local who did not wish to be named.
Voters are more concerned about issues concerning them than about the background of the candidate. Outsiders from Delhi and neighboring Punjab setting up businesses and factories in the district is a major talking point, along with unemployment.
“There are no jobs here and the ones which are available to locals are low-end jobs. Even the flyover being built here has employees from outside the state except some of the laborers. Even the laborers now go out of the state in search of employment,” said Rahul, a 23-year old now working in Singapore.
Chenab Textile Mills (CTM) is the only big industry in the area. “Outsiders are using the special government subsidies being provided by tying up with locals as frontmen. Most businessmen are from Pathankot and Gurdaspur,” said an electronic goods shopkeeper.
The rape-murder had taken place in Hiranagar Assembly constituency area which is a part of Kathua district. The outrage has virtually died down, with some saying it may be as the victim was a tribal and not from this district.
Despite all the controversies, Lal Singh is seen as an intriguing figure. He has served two terms as a Congress MP from Udhampur from 2004 to 2014. Before becoming an MP, he was Health minister in the PDP-Congress government and won much praise for his surprise checks on doctors and staff in government hospitals.
“Singh would stand discreetly in queues for patients to check how long it takes for doctors to examine a patient and check whether the staff deals with them humanly,” Vikram, a restaurant owner in Jammu district said.
When Singh left BJP in 2018 after the saffron party withdrew support to PDP, he floated the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP) which got him some traction but was largely a non-starter.
Singh appears to be ahead of BJP candidate Darshan Singh in the Basohli seat while Chandra Prakash Ganga is being strongly backed by the saffron party. The stains of Kathua gang rape-murder controversy have faded away.
Lal Singh is the Congress candidate from Basohli seat in Kathua district (Kathua Assembly seat is reserved for the Scheduled Caste). He recently lost the Lok Sabha elections from Udhampur seat to union minister Jitendra Singh of the BJP. A popular though controversial figure, Lal Singh has the image of a tough guy who gets the job done. He had won from Basohli in 2014 on a BJP ticket months after then party chief Amit Shah inducted him at a program in Kathua. He served as minister of Environment and Forest in the PDP-BJP government from 2015 to 2018 when the state came under Governor’s Rule.
Chandra Prakash Ganga is the BJP candidate from Vijaypur seat in Kathua district. He too had come out in support of some of those accused in the rape-murder but was not as vocal as Singh.
When the Kathua gang rape-murder case came to light in 2018, Singh had quit seat in the wake of anger over his support to the accused. Later he demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.
When ET visited his house in Kathua, his staff said he is camping in Basohli (an uphill constituency) and rarely visits. Singh himself was evasive when this correspondent asked him about the Kathua case and would put the phone down every time the issue was raised during a few calls.
Locals appear disinterested in the case in which seven people (including a juvenile) were accused.
“She was a Bakarwal tribal girl. These tribals come down from the hills during the winters and then go back again in the summers. One does not really know who all were involved. People have a short memory and move on,” said a local who did not wish to be named.
Voters are more concerned about issues concerning them than about the background of the candidate. Outsiders from Delhi and neighboring Punjab setting up businesses and factories in the district is a major talking point, along with unemployment.
“There are no jobs here and the ones which are available to locals are low-end jobs. Even the flyover being built here has employees from outside the state except some of the laborers. Even the laborers now go out of the state in search of employment,” said Rahul, a 23-year old now working in Singapore.
Chenab Textile Mills (CTM) is the only big industry in the area. “Outsiders are using the special government subsidies being provided by tying up with locals as frontmen. Most businessmen are from Pathankot and Gurdaspur,” said an electronic goods shopkeeper.
The rape-murder had taken place in Hiranagar Assembly constituency area which is a part of Kathua district. The outrage has virtually died down, with some saying it may be as the victim was a tribal and not from this district.
Despite all the controversies, Lal Singh is seen as an intriguing figure. He has served two terms as a Congress MP from Udhampur from 2004 to 2014. Before becoming an MP, he was Health minister in the PDP-Congress government and won much praise for his surprise checks on doctors and staff in government hospitals.
“Singh would stand discreetly in queues for patients to check how long it takes for doctors to examine a patient and check whether the staff deals with them humanly,” Vikram, a restaurant owner in Jammu district said.
When Singh left BJP in 2018 after the saffron party withdrew support to PDP, he floated the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP) which got him some traction but was largely a non-starter.
Singh appears to be ahead of BJP candidate Darshan Singh in the Basohli seat while Chandra Prakash Ganga is being strongly backed by the saffron party. The stains of Kathua gang rape-murder controversy have faded away.
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