“A top Lashker-e-Taiba militant”, overpowered by locals and handed over to the police, is an active member of the Bharatiya Janata Party who was recently selected as its IT and social media cell in charge of the minority morcha in Jammu province, according to saffron party’s documents.
Talib Hussain Shah and his accomplice were captured by the villagers in Jammu’s Reasi area Sunday morning. Two AK rifles, several grenades and other arms and ammunition was recovered from their possession, claimed the police. They were eventually handed over to the cops.
As the news surfaced, purported pictures of Talib Hussain Shah with Jammu Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina and his participation in party functions emerged on social media.
The viral pictures included the one where BJP unit chief Raina was presenting Shah a bouquet and a letter issued by party leader Sheikh Bashir, assigning him the responsibility of new IT and social media incharge of Jammu province’s Minority Morcha on 9 May.
“Mr. Talib Hussain Shah, at Draj Kotranka, budhan, District Rajouri, shall be the new IT & Social Media Incharge BJP Minority Mocha Jammu Province with immediate effect” read an order issued on 9 May by the BJP Minority Morcha J&K.
There are pictures Shah has with senior BJP leaders including Union home minister Amit Shah.
Reacting to the incident, the Congress chief spokesperson said: “This is for the first time that such a thing had happened (when an office bearer of a party is directly involved in terrorism.”
He went on to say: “BJP should answer to the nation about the presence of terrorists in their ranks holding important party positions. It is a very serious matter and a threat to the security of the nation.”
Meanwhile BJP blamed the system of online membership that is allowing people to join the party without any background check.
