Father of slain Rifleman Aurangzeb joins BJP at PM Modi’s rally

Mohammad Hanief, the father of Army Rifleman Aurangzeb, who was abducted and killed by militants in Pulwama district the previous year, joined the BJP on Sunday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public rally. Lt Gen (Retd) Rakesh Kumar Sharma, a former Army officer, joined the party at the same time.

A portrait for the prime minister

Hanief, a resident of Rajouri, and Sharma presented the prime minister with a portrait of the late soldier as Modi welcomed them into the party.

BJP state president Ravinder Raina had earlier announced their decision to join, which was greeted with slogans by party supporters. Senior BJP leaders on the stage included former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta and the party’s national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna.

Why he joined

According to sources, Hanief said he had joined the BJP because of its policies for the poor. He described the Modi government as the best in the country for its concern for poor people, and contrasted it with earlier governments which he said had ignored their problems.

Background

Aurangzeb, a rifleman with 44 Rashtriya Rifles, was seized by militants on June 14 while travelling home to celebrate Eid, and was later killed in Pulwama district. He was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra.

After his death, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army chief General Bipin Rawat visited the family separately to offer their condolences.

See also: Bharatiya Janata Party and election news

Originally published on 4 February 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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