Thaindian News

Jammu, Oct 23 (IANS) With the Jammu and Kashmir government soon shifting to the winter capital here, considered the stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (NPP), the two parties have upped the ante against the Omar Abdullah-led dispenssation over the custodial death of a National Conference (NC) wroker.

The BJP Saturday demanded Abdullah’s resignation after the death of an NC worker, Sayeed Muhammad Yusuf, who died Sep 30 in police custody, a day after he visited Abdullah’s house.

“Omar Abdullah should resign immediately for his incompetence and alleged involvement in the death of the NC activist,” stated a political resolution adopted by the BJP.

Senior BJP legislator Ashok Khajuria said the party wants a “fair probe and that’s possible only after Omar steps down”.

The BJP made the demand on the conclusion of its two-day state working committee Saturday.

JKNPP leader Harsh Dev Singh, whose party has three seats in the assembly, had said earlier: “The chief minister has no right to stay in office as the National Conference worker had died in custody after he was handed over to the Crime Branch from the Chief minister’s residence in Srinagar.”

The government will shift here Nov 7.

Yusuf was charged by two of his fellow party workers of taking a bribe of Rs. 1.18 crore from them for getting them a ministerial berth and a membership in the legislative council.

The complaint was made to Abdullah Sep 29 and on the same day he had called the trio to “verify the charges”.

After Abdullah found that there was “truth” in the allegations, he had handed over all the three to the Crime Branch. However Yusuf’s death the next day triggered charges of his “torture”.