Brief Outline: Senior BJP leader Lal Singh, who was accused of supporting the accused in Kathua gangrape and murder case, on Saturday, asked the Kashmiri journalists to draw a line and "take care" of themselves

Facts Check: True

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Senior BJP leader Lal Singh, who was accused of supporting the accused in Kathua gangrape and murder case, on Saturday, asked the Kashmiri journalists to draw a line and "take care" of themselves if they do not want to meet the fate of 'Rising Kashmir' editor Shujaat Bukhari.

Facts Check Analysis: It is true that BJP leader Lal Singh, who was accused of supporting the Kathua gangrape and murder case accused, on Saturday stoked controversy after asking the Kashmiri journalists to draw a line and “take care” of themselves if they do not want to meet the fate of Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari.

Singh told a press conference in Jammu on Friday that Kashmiri journalists had created a “wrong atmosphere” there

He said as in the video below, Kashmiri journalists have created an erroneous atmosphere and I would like to ask them to draw a line…You want to live like what happened to Basharat (Shujaat Bukhari)…Take care of yourselves and draw a line so that the brotherhood is not broken and it is maintained so that progress and development is ensured,

As reported by ANI news, BJP leader Lal Singh Chaudhary says in Jammu, "journalists of Kashmir created a wrong environment there. You should draw a line in journalism, so that brotherhood is maintained & there is progress"

BJP leader Lal Singh Chaudhary says in Jammu, "journalists of Kashmir created a wrong environment there. You should draw a line in journalism, so that brotherhood is maintained & there is progress" (22.06.18) pic.twitter.com/8TXaU3rPaZ

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2018

Lal Singh and his colleague Chander Prakash Ganga had resigned on April 13 over their participation in an earlier rally in support of the accused in the gang rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Kathua district. “We resigned because the perception created by the national media was not good. It portrayed the situation in a wrong way, which was not the case at all. It was portrayed that the entire Jammu region was siding with rapists,” he had earlier claimed.

National Conference strongly condemns the outrageous remarks and threatening of Kashmiri journalists by BJP Leader and MLA Chaudhry Lal Singh. This merits immediate cognisance by the @JmuKmrPolice. We hope the law isn't subverted - Party Spokesperson.

National Conference strongly condemns the outrageous remarks and threatening of Kashmiri journalists by BJP Leader and MLA Chaudhry Lal Singh. This merits immediate cognisance by the @JmuKmrPolice. We hope the law isn't subverted - Party Spokesperson.

— JKNC (@JKNC_) June 23, 2018

Singh's latest words against the Kashmir journalists has triggered a political storm with opposition parties joining the chorus for stern action and lodging an FIR against the former minister.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) too condemned the statement and sought action against Lal Singh. "PDP condemns this open incitement of violence and demands arrest of this BJP leader. His criminally intimidating the journalist fraternity is breach of peace and tranquillity of the region. Action must follow", tweeted Rafi Ahmad Mir, chief spokesman of PDP

"Singh's statement indicates that he holds some information about Shujaat's murder and must be investigated. KEG reserves the right to lodge a police case against the lawmaker who earlier as well named a number of reporters for his fall from grace in the wake of Kathua probe, now in a trial state", said Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) in a statement.