Kathua rape-murder case: Fact-finding team members linked with right-wing groups

Srinagar, May 05, 2018 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the members of the so-called fact-finding team, which submitted its report on the Kathua rape and murder case to the Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, are linked with right-wing groups, the details gathered by Srinagar-based English daily, Greater Kashmir revealed.

The Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA), which had set up the team, is seen close to the right-wing groups. The GIA functions in the past have been attended by the top RSS leaders. Meera Khadakkar, one of the members of the team, is the President of Nagpur chapter of the Jammu and Kashmir Study Circle (JKSC), which itself is considered close to RSS. The Circle had hosted RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat earlier this year. Meera confirmed to Greater Kashmir that she is the president of Nagpur chapter of JKSC.

The JKSC had in March organized ‘Sapt-Sindhu Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Mahotsav’ at Nagpur which was also attended by RSS Chief, Mohan Baghwat. During the function, Bhagwat had said there was need for “shakti” (power) and “yukti” (tact) to ensure that truth prevails in Kashmir. Meera, who according to the report is ex-district judge, said that she was sent to Kathua by the organisation known as Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA).

“Since I am in legal field, they choose me,” she said. The JKSC is also campaigning for revocation of the Article 35A of the Indian Constitution, which grants special rights and privileges to the state subjects of Jammu and Kashmir. Another member of the fact-finding team, Monika Arora is Convener of the GIA. Arora, who is a lawyer, is the Government of India’s standing counsel in Delhi High Court.

In its report, the team while demanding a CBI probe into the case has pointed out that the Crime Branch team comprised of two ethnic Kashmiris. It has gone to the extent of saying that the SSP Crime Branch, Jammu, is also a Kashmiri. Ramesh Kumar Jalla, a Kashmiri Pandit, is SSP Crime Branch, Jammu. The report was submitted to Rajnath Singh and minister of state in PMO, Jitendra Singh, three days before the case would come up in the Indian Supreme Court, which had stayed its trail last week.

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