Azad says BJP turned his former polling agent 'communal'

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of turning his former polling agent, who is now Jammu Bar Association President, 'communal'.

He made this comment while reacting on his relations with Jammu Bar Association President B.S. Slathia, who is accused of opposing the Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch's charge sheet in the Kathua gang rape case.

"Yes, he (Slathia) was my polling agent. Also, J&K Minister from BJP quota Lal Singh was in Congress. They (Slathia and Singh) were secular then but the BJP has vitiated the atmosphere so badly in Jammu and Kashmir that these individuals have now turned communal," Azad said.

Slathia has come into the limelight because of his demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the Kathua rape case.

A lawyer in Jammu DS Rajawat had accused Slathia had threatened her and asked her not to appear for the Kathua victim. Slathia has denied these charges.

Lawyers of Jammu are also accused of stopping J&K Crime Branch from filing charge sheet in the Kathua rape case. They have questioned the credibility of J&K Crime Branch as "most of investigating officers are from Kashmir".

An eight-year-old girl belonging to a nomadic Muslim tribe in Kathua district was allegedly abducted, drugged, gang-raped, tortured and killed in January.

Four police officials and a retired government official are among the accused in the case.