Jammu: Suspecting a conspiracy, the BJP on Monday demanded a deeper probe into the “communally sensitive” video case, while the Congress and the National Conference lauded the police for its prompt action in arresting the three accused, as all the parties urged the people to maintain peace and harmony.
Three persons including the main accused Satpal Sharma were arrested hours after registration of the case in Pacca Danga police station on Sunday for using derogatory words against a particular religion in a video that triggered outrage and protests.
“It is not a work of an ordinary person. The video smells of a conspiracy from anti-national elements who failed in their designs to disturb peace in J-K. We demand a probe into the incident to unveil the conspiracy,” BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina said.
Condemning the incident, he said, “We have to fight unitedly to defeat such elements who are playing in the hands of anti-national forces and triggering rift within the society.
“All religions preach love and peace, respect for humanity. India belongs to 130 crore people of all faiths. We need to maintain our brotherhood to defeat such elements,” he said.
He appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony and respect each other.
Demanding stern action against the culprits, National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana said “such a behaviour is not acceptable to the people of J&K”.
“We will not allow anyone to disturb brotherhood and communal harmony in J&K which is like a bouquet where people irrespective of their religion live in peace and harmony,” Rana said and hailed the Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Mukesh Singh for promptly responding to the threat by arresting the accused.
Rana appealed to the people to maintain peace, harmony and communal amity.
“The communal elements need to be dealt with sternly. We reiterate our pledge not to allow them to succeed in their nefarious designs. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the cause,” he said, adding that people have freedom to practice their religion and nobody has a right to interfere.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee also slammed the “attempts by certain mischievous elements” to foment communal trouble in the UT.
“It is most unfortunate and highly condemnable. The society should isolate the mischievous elements and not allow the religious brotherhood and peace to be disturbed at any cost,” JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said.
Making an appeal to the people to maintain calm and amity and cooperate with the administration, Sharma appreciated the timely action of the police administration in the matter.
“Appropriate stern action under law should be taken against all those involved in such incidents,” he said.
Demanding speedy, stern and exemplary action against those involved, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) termed the FIR lodged in this connection as “weak and legally untenable”.
In a statement, party spokesman and former MLC Firdous Tak urged the authorities that all necessary steps be taken to make a water-tight case against the culprits so that they are brought to justice in the court of law.
“While we appreciate the swift action by the IGP Jammu, going by how the FIR has been drafted, it raises questions on how things are being dealt at the ground level,” Tak said.
