BJP leader Rajiv Jasrotia, who reportedly attended the rally organised by the Hindu Ekta Manch to defend the Kathua gang-rape and murder accused, was elevated as a minister on Monday.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lashed out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over the controversial development.

“2 BJP ministers removed in J&K for attending a pro-rapist rally & a MLA who is reported to have attended the same rally is promoted as a minister. Why are the BJP/ @MehboobaMufti  confused about where they stand on the #Kathua rape?,” tweeted Abdullah.

2 BJP ministers removed in J&K for attending a pro-rapist rally & a MLA who is reported to have attended the same rally is promoted as a minister. Why are the BJP/ @MehboobaMufti confused about where they stand on the #Kathua rape?

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 30, 2018

In another controversy, Kavinder Gupta, who was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday in place of Nirmal Singh, termed the Kathua incident a “small matter”.

After taking oath as the Deputy CM, when reporters asked a question regarding the Kathua case, Kavinder Gupta said, “It’s a small matter and there is no need to pay heed to it.”

Earlier in the day, Sat Sharma, president of the J-K unit of BJP, Sunil Sharma, DK Manyal, Rajiv Jasrotia and Shakti Parihar of the BJP and Mohammad Ashraf Mir and Mohammad Khalil Band of PDP also took oath as ministers.

The central leadership of BJP that was flooded with complaints of non-performance of some of its ministers has dropped deputy CM Nirmal Singh, health minister Bali Bhagat and minister of state for tourism, Priya Sethi, from the coalition ministry.

While all nine ministers of the BJP were asked to submit their resignations on 17 April, Nirmal Singh submitted his resignation on Sunday night.

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh were present in the swearing-in ceremony.

The ceremony was held at the convention centre near the state guest house instead of the Raj Bhavan as most of the staff have already shifted to Srinagar due to move of offices there for the summer.