Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 15: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Monday visited the family of Lance Naik Hemraj, who was killed by Pakistani troops near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district Jan 8.
Making separate visits to the grieving family in Shernagar village in Mathura district, about 350 km from the state capital Lucknow, the leaders condoled the martyr's family. Akhilesh Yadav also announced a relief of Rs.25 lakh for the family.
The family members of the martyr, who were on fast for the past few days complaining that the government ignored the martyr, broke their fast after the visits.
"The whole nation respects the martyrs and it is our responsibility to honour them. I thanked his family... We need to support them and give them courage," Akhilesh Yadav said.
"We have already announced a relief of Rs.25 lakh... Money is not a big thing, but to support and respect the family is the duty of the government," he said.
Hemraj's wife Dharmawati, who had been fasting with some other family members, said: "I hope they keep their promises. I am in a bad shape".
BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh met the family earlier. Gadkari demanded that the Indian government should "isolate" Pakistan.
"The Pakistani government is provoking people with what they are doing," Gadkari told reporters, demanding an apology. "The government should isolate Pakistan as the incident has disturbed not just the family of the slain martyrs but also every Indian," he added.
Hemraj Singh and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh of Rajputana Rifles were killed by Pakistan's army Jan 8, and their bodies were mutilated.
"Such inhuman treatment and such violence is a blot for the whole world," Gadkari said.
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj slammed the central government saying none of the ministers were present at the last rites of the soldier.
"No one said when the last rites would be. The defence minister should have come, or at least the minister of state for defence should have come. Minister of state from home ministry and somebody from the prime minister's office should have come...," Sushma Swaraj said.
"Government should apologise for this lapse. But whatever happened, India should retaliate. Strict action must be taken," she said.
"Both the mother and wife of the martyr are pained that he was not given the respect he deserved. It is true no one from the state or central government came for the funeral," party leader Rajnath Singh added.
Border tensions between India and Pakistan have risen sharply since the Jan 6 death of a Pakistani soldier in alleged firing by Indian forces along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
Two days later, on Jan 8, Pakistani soldiers killed and mutilated two Indian soldiers in the Mendhar sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The soldiers were identified as Sudhakar Singh and Hemraj.
