Himachal CM accuses BJP of 'politicizing' Chamba murder case; 'Furore seems illogical'

Amid the massive furor over the Salooni murder in the Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday expressed his displeasure over the protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Chief Minister said that the protest staged by the BJP workers is unjustified as all accused have been apprehended and are in custody.

While briefing media persons in Shimla, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said, "This case was the first case of its kind in the country where all the accused have been apprehended and were currently in police custody. Despite swift action taken by the police, the furore being created by the BJP continues, which is uncalled for and unjustified.

Sukhu accused the BJP’s Yuva Morcha of setting the house of the accused on fire five days after the incident despite arrests of all involved in the case.

BJP's protests despite the arrests made seem illogical: Himachal CM

He said, "All the accused involved in the murder were arrested within 24 hours. BJP's persistence in protesting despite the arrests and the government's acceptance of their demand for an inquiry by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seems illogical. BJP, being the ruling party at the Centre, could easily initiate an NIA investigation with a mere phone call from the Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur. However, the BJP is exploiting the situation for political gain, with an eye on the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections."

"Despite assurance to the people given time and again by me that all persons involved in the murder case would be brought to justice, it is beyond the perception why such protests were being held despite arrests made, which seems that the BJP was doing dirty politics," the Chief Minister added. He said it would have been appropriate had the BJP launched movements and protested for the rights of the state.

Further, emphasising the shared responsibility of the government and the opposition to protect the rights of the state, the Chief Minister asked the Bharatiya Janata Party to collaborate on issues such as water cess and enhancing royalty in various hydropower projects, ensuring that the state receives its due rights. 

Communal tensions loomed in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district on Thursday when a mob burned down the house of a man, identified as Musafir Hussain, who has been accused of killing 28-year-old Manohar over an affair with his niece and chopping his body into pieces. The dismembered body of Manohar was found in a drain in Bandal panchayat of Salooni on June 8, two days after he went missing.