The Hindu : National : BJP resents sedition charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 17, 2006

National

National

BJP resents sedition charges

Special Correspondent

`Distressing', says Rajnath Singh; Azad must withdraw cases immediately

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has protested against the slapping of the charge of `sedition' against two party office-bearers — general secretary Vinay Katiyar and vice-president Sahib Singh Verma — by the Jammu and Kashmir police in connection with some statements made by them. The charge attracts life term. FIRs were registered against the two under Sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (causing enmity between different racial or religious groups) of the Indian Penal Code.

BJP president Rajnath Singh in a statement here on Friday said it was "distressing" that charges were framed after the two BJP leaders had criticised the UPA Government for its "soft handling of terrorism" during the course of a demonstration in Jammu.

Although the First Information Reports were filed against Mr. Katiyar and Mr. Verma a week ago, the party said it was reacting only now as it did not have copies of the FIRs. It also glossed over the matter of the two leaders offering rewards on behalf of the party to any civilian who killed a "militant".

The offer of rewards was criticised even by those within the BJP as "irresponsible".

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National