Hindus constitute less than 1% of population in held Kashmir, claims BJP leader

MP Nandkumar Singh Chauhan says Hindus living 'in fear' inside contested valley and 'are not allowed to speak'

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nandkumar Singh Chauhan has said that Hindus number less than 1 per cent of the population in Indian-held Kashmir, reported Financial Express.

According to the Indian publication, the parliament member from the state of Madhya Pradesh told reporters that helpless Hindus are living in fear inside the valley and are not allowed to speak.

Amid international outrage over the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua district of Indian Occupied Kashmir, Chauhan has given a bizarre theory, saying enemy agents are involved in stirring unrest in the contested valley.



“They have a motive to instigate communal sentiments and provoke Hindus and Muslims against each other,” a report in The Times of India quoted him as saying.

So far, eight persons, including mastermind Sanji Ram, have been charged with abduction, rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Kathua’s Rasana village in January.

The charge sheet has revealed that the girl was held in a temple, drugged, gang-raped and later killed. Her body was later found in a nearby forest. Indian police officials said that this was done to instill a sense of fear in the native community of the area.

The prime suspect in the case has also been charged with bribing local police officials, including a Sub-Inspector and a Head Constable, to destroy evidence.



On Wednesday, Hindus in Kathua demonstrated against the police and tried to prevent police from filing a charge sheet in the case.

Meanwhile, IOK Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said that police is following proper procedures in the case, and assured agitating protesters that justice will be delivered. She added that law will not be obstructed by the irresponsible actions and statements of a group of people.

This article originally appeared on Financial Express