NEW DELHI: Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir today questioned the state government's stance on the Kathua rape after a BJP MLA , Rajiv Jasrotia , who had reportedly attended the pro-rapist rally in Kathua, was promoted as a cabinet minister.

"Two BJP ministers removed in J&K for attending a pro-rapist rally and an MLA who is reported to have attended the same rally is promoted as a minister. Why are the BJP/Mehbooba Mufti confused about where they stand on the Kathua rape?" National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted.

Following his promotion, Times Now questioned Jasrotia if he was rewarded for attending the rally organised by Hindu Ekta Manch. The newly-appointed minister said that he was never a part of the rally.

The MLA from Kathua, Jasrotia, was today sworn in as a minister in the state's PDP-BJP government led by Mehbooba Mufti as part of BJP's plan to reshuffle its party's ministers in the state cabinet.

On April 17, the saffron party had asked all its nine ministers in the PDP-BJP government in the state to submit their resignations so new faces could be brought in.

Earlier this month, two BJP MLAs, BJP ministers Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, had tendered their resignation after nation-wide uproar over their presence in a rally organised in support of those accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu's Kathua.

Today, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav dismissed the allegations that the reshuffle is related to the Kathua incident.

"The cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. Our government has completed three years and we decided to give a chance to new faces," he clarified.

