JKNPP demands Omar Abdullah’s resignation

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JKNPP on Saturday demanded resignation of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah for "violating the Constitution" by disclosing names of rape victims in the state Assembly.

"We demand resignation of the chief minister for violating the law, which does not allow disclosure of identity of rape victims," JKNPP chairman Bhim Singh said here.

Singh, who is also a member of National Integration Council, said Omar has committed a serious offence and mere apology will not do.

Omar had on Friday tendered an unconditional apology for revealing the names of rape victims in the Assembly.

"I tender an unconditional apology. There is a deep sense of shame over revealing names of the victims," he had said.

His apology came in the wake of protest by Opposition PDP which accused the chief minister of stigmatising the victims by revealing their identities in the Assembly.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had said Omar's move was in contravention of section 228(A) of the IPC and a Supreme Court ruling, under which making public the identity of rape victim is a punishable offence.

A 90-page list containing names of 1,326 rape victims was submitted by the government on Wednesday in a written reply to a question by Congress MLC Abdul Majid about tehsil-wise details of rape cases in the last five years as well as their current status. He had also asked for steps taken to prevent such occurrences.

The list, submitted by deputy secretary to the Home department, had in most cases revealed the victim's identity by giving out her full name, address as well as her parentage.

The home ministry is headed by Omar and has a minister of state as his deputy.