Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Monday welcomed the Kathua rape-murder case verdict, stating that the feeling of getting justice creates positivity and that is why the entire population of the state is hailing it.She said that in a statement issued here the justice and the unwavering commitment of the state to it is fundamental to peace and dignity. “That alone inspires confidence among all sections especially the weakest among them and that is how the guarantees enshrined in the constitution can be translated into reality,
”Mehbooba said. The PDP President said that she felt immense satisfaction that the JK police and especially the crime Branch led by IGP Afad-ul-Mujtaba and its special investigation team headed by SSP Mr Jala and comprising of SSP Naveed and other colleagues who worked scientifically and focussed on the investigation in dispassionate manner.
The fact that the police delivered a faultless investigation in very trying circumstances when some people had attempted to disrupt the process of law. She appreciated the pioneering effort by Advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat and Choudhary Talib Hussian for taking a leading role in exposing the conspiracy and defending the victim.
She also commended the role played by large sections of media especially those based in Jammu and Kashmir who filed very important stories to the audience out side the state which resulted in awareness about the nature of this atrocity and generated empathy for the victim child.
Mehbooba said further that her colleagues in the cabinet especially Abdul Haq Khan as law minister set very high standards in meeting the legal and political challenges to ensure professional investigation and fair trial. “The advocate general of the time Jahangir Iqbal offered very valuable advice and helped the government in ensuring justice amid the hostile demonstrations and vilification,” she added.
Mehbooba said that a society can withstand any weakness but if its justice system is compromised and if the weakest among the society is not defended, that is alarming situation for that society especially for our country of great diversity which has countless fault lines to exploit the sentiments.
“The society in Jammu and Kashmir must rise against this and ensure that our women, children and weaker sections feel protected and feel confident that their honour and their dignity is ensured,” Mehbooba said.
According to the PDP chief, the feeling of getting justice creates a positivity and that is why the entire population of the state is welcoming it. “This must inspire the entire country to ensure justice in Jammu and Kashmir which is a fundamental confidence building measure to strike a deeper bond between the state and other parts of the country,” Mehbooba said.
Mehbooba further stated that it is also a moment of introspection that why our society has plunged into such dreadful crises that even children as young as 8 years are unsafe from sexual assaults, murders and atrocities. “This is the victory for the entire country, state of Jammu and Kashmir, its agencies, its police and civil society. They have shown the way by standing up against the unfortunate incident. We could not have compensated that family but we tried to ensure that it gets justice. We are grateful to Supreme Court of India which ensured a fair trail is given,” Mehbooba said.
The PDP President also hailed the courage and valour of the people of all the regions of the state who in union stood up for justice and have shown the way to rest of the country that it is humanity which is above any other consideration of religion, caste, creed or politics. “I hope that across the country wherever the atrocities of such nature take place, the police is given free hand as we did in Jammu and Kashmir and they are provided all the facilities to nab the culprits and the politics or any other consideration doesn’t come in the way of delivery of justice,” she added.
