BeyondHeadlines Staff Reporter
Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said that it would ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to order a thorough probe into the killing of Moulvi Showkat Ahmad Shah to expose the conspiracy behind his murder in a blast in Srinagar on April 8.
Former BJP President Rajnath Singh accompanied by Ravi Shankar Prasad and other members of the BJP delegation, presently on a study tour to Jammu and Kashmir, visited Shah’s family at Lal Bazaar in Srinagar. This is the first time that senior BJP leaders have visited the family of an assassinated separatist leader.
“I want to assure you that we will not only raise this issue with Home Minister (P Chidambaram) but with Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) also for a deep and thorough probe into the incident that led to (Shah’s) killing,” Singh told Shah’s family.
“He was a good man and his good intentions cannot be doubted. After all he was a human being,” Singh said when asked about the BJP leaders visiting Shah’s family.
The BJP leader said everyone across the country, including his party, has condemned the killing of the cleric as he had dedicated his life to public service.
“No one can forget his contribution in the health and education sector. He also wanted peace in Kashmir and (rest of) India,” Singh said.
Singh said the BJP delegation had come with a message of peace and was willing to meet anyone who wants peace in the Valley.
“Kashmir is the crown of India and we want it shining. We seek cooperation of everyone who wants peace here,” he said.
Earlier, the BJP delegation paid obeisance at Hazratbal Shrine on the banks of Dal Lake.
They also visited the Gurudawara at Chattipadshahi in Rainawari area of the city where large number of Sikhs had gathered on the occasion of Baisakhi.
