In an embarrassment for the Congress before the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra enters its final leg of Jammu and Kashmir, the party’s state spokesperson Deepika Pushkar Nath announced that she has resigned from the party citing ideological differences.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday, Nath said she was left with no other option but to resign from the party over its decision to allow former BJP leader Lal Singh to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Nath alleged that Lal Singh was responsible in “sabotaging” the Kathua rape case in 2018 by “brazenly defending rapists”.
In view of Ch.Lal Singh's proposal of joining @bharatjodo & @INCJammuKashmir allowing the same, I am left with no other option but to resign from @INCIndia
Lal Singh was responsible in sabotaging the Kathua rape case in 2018 by brazenly defending rapists.— Deepika Pushkar Nath (@DeepikaSRajawat) January 17, 2023
The decision by Nath comes just a day before the Bharat Jodo Yatra reaches Jammu and Kashmir, where the Yatra will conclude on January 30. The Yatra, which was halted for a day, is scheduled to enter the erstwhile state on January 19.
In another tweet, Nath accused Lal Singh of dividing the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir only to protect the Kathua rape accused.
“Lal Singh divided the entire region of Jammu & Kashmir to protect the rapists and Bharat Jodo Yatra is ideologically opposite. On ideological grounds, I cannot share the party platform with such a person,” he said.
Notably, Singh was asked to resign as Forest minister after the People’s Democratic Party formed a government in Jammu and Kashmir in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party under Mehbooba Mufti’s leadership.
When asked for her response on the issue, Mufti, who is set to join Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, sought to defend the Congress’ decision.
“Rahul Gandhi is out on the streets, thousands of people are joining him and he’s trying to stitch back the fabric of the country. It doesn’t matter to me who is joining him, what matter is motive,” she said.
“J&K had to suffer the most due to communal politics. I think there was no other option for Congress besides Bharat Jodo Yatra, to reclaim their legacy, idea of India, secular and democratic India. So, we welcome Bharat Jodo Yatra & we’ll participate in it,” the PDP chief added.