The Congress party on Monday released its third list with the names of 19 candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. One of the names included in the list was Lal Singh, a former member of parliament and Minister from Jammu and Kashmir. This move by the Congress has sparked criticism on the Internet due to the political history of Lal Singh.
Raman Bhalla from Jammu South who is a former minister and working president of Congress former NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan from Bishnah are among the other candidates.
Lal Singh who is set to contest for the Basohli seat had led a rally in support of the accused in the Kathua rape case when Lal Singh was a BJP leader and Forest Minister In Jammu and Kashmir. During the Lok Sabha elections, Congress had given him a ticket.
The Kathua case which shook the nation was a brutal gangrape of an 8-year-old Muslim girl from Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. Soon after, the Nation saw widespread protests demanding justice for the victim. However, Lal Singh and some residents led a Tiranga rally in favour of the accused and openly supported him. This led to a huge public outrage, eventually leading to his resignation.
Lal Singh who started as a student leader and was then elected as an MLA from Basohli constituency in the Assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir in 1996. He founded the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party. He was re-elected in 2002 and in 2004, in the 14th Lok Sabha elections, he was elected as a member of parliament from the Udhampur constituency.
When Lal Singh joined Congress in 2019 many parties criticized the action calling it a “shameful move” by the Congress Party.
