Attacking Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta for his remarks that the Kathua rape-murder case was a "minor issue", the Congress on Tuesday said it is "absolutely blasphemous" and demanded that he be sacked.

The Congress on Monday criticised Jammu and Kashmir's Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta's statement that the Kathua rape-murder case was a "minor issue" and said that the party's slogan of "Beti Bachao" (save girl child) was a in fact a warning.

In an embarrassment to the ruling PDP-BJP alliance, Jammu and Kashmir's new Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta said after being sworn in that the Kathua rape and murder was a "small issue".

In a major cabinet overhaul, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta was sworn in as the new Deputy Chief Minister in the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government, replacing Nirmal Singh who is set to become the Speaker.