Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: J&K National Conference today demanded a time bound judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court Judge into the killing of Ishtiyaq Choudhary, a youth NC leader of Kalakote in Rajouri district.
Addressing a press conference here today Provincial president of National Conference Devender Singh Rana described it as a political murder and said that truth must come out. He said the role of Government after the murder clearly indicates that efforts were being made to gag the voice of the political person in the opposition. Ishtiaq raised issue of ration for the public and said it was political conspiracy to eliminate him.
“Truth needs to be dug out, as the murder appears to be a sinister machination of muzzling political dissent”, Mr Rana maintained.
He said the murder has been committed with a Government gun, held by a VDC member, and the fact that the kin of the victim’s family were given compensation as also assurance of job testifies that there is more than what meets the eyes. He said raising voice against irrational distribution of rations does not merit death. “The killing of Block Youth National Conference president Kalakote appears to be just to speak for the exploited poor people of the area”, he said and expressed concern over growing incidents of lawlessness under PDP-BJP dispensation.
Mr Rana further said that the gruesome murder has created anguish in the party cadre and senior NC leaders were camping there to monitor the situation and to cool down tempers. “As a responsible political party, we are doing our best to ensure that situation does not go out of control but at the same time we want to emphasize the need for a thorough judicial probe to unmask the real culprits”, he said adding that the people have right to know who was calling the shots under veils.
While seeking time-bound judicial probe, the senior NC leader asserted that no amount of compensation or jobs is going to compensate the precious loss. He said NC was sharing the loss of the family, as Ishtiyaq was a promising and upcoming leader of the area. In reply to a question about the murder being a deliberate attempt to target political workers, he said the democratic way of life in the State is not that fragile which can be trampled.
The Provincial president was flanked by State vice presidents Syed Mushtaq Bukhari, Rattan Lal Gupta, Kashmira Singh, Provincial Youth NC president Ajaz Jan, senior leaders Juggal Mahajan, Ch Haroon, Anil Dhar, Abdul Gani Teli, Dharmveer Singh Jamwal, Vijay Lochan and others.
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