India
Everyone's an expert in this day and age.
Updated : Apr 16, 2017, 08:59 AM IST
On Saturday, there was a lot of outrage over the viral video of a Kashmiri man who had been tied to an army vehicle during polling for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on April 9. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat called on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday evening amid the controversy.
The army chief, who was on a visit to the Jammu-based IX Corps of Western Command, had called on Governor NN Vohra and apprised him of the situation along the borders and also on the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra.
Gen Rawat apprised Mehbooba about the situation in the Valley and assured her of timely action against its personnel who were responsible for the act of tying the man to the vehicle at Budgam.
According to the sources, the army officials told a probe team that they had received a call from ITBP and local police guarding a polling station to save them from a mob which was out to lynch them.
While the debate raged on, Lieutenant General HS Panag, who had previously headed the Northern Command, tweeted: “Image of a 'stone pelter' tied in front of a jeep as a 'human shield',will 4 ever haunt the Indian Army&the nation!”
To this statement, businessman Mohandas Pai replied: “Si you are ok in our democracy for our army men to be lynched by a mob of terrorists baying for their blood! Truly shocking view!
Image of a 'stone pelter' tied in front of a jeep as a 'human shield',will 4 ever haunt the Indian Army&the nation!
— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) April 15, 2017
Whatever the Provocation, the Indian Armed Forces Cannot Take Recourse to Illegal Acts. I endorse the views! https://t.co/KetiP3YESW
— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) April 15, 2017
Si you are ok in our democracy for our army men to be lynched by a mob of terrorists baying for their blood! Truly shocking view! https://t.co/tIcyBj8R7D
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) April 15, 2017
Why?The slight of stone throwers beating uniformed men will forever haunt India.Would you like army men to have been lynched by terrorists https://t.co/H6TYRExfQb
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) April 15, 2017
Arenot the uniformed forces authorized to defend themselves or according to you,let themselves be mercilessly killed defending India! https://t.co/H6TYRExfQb
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) April 15, 2017
Image? If the army men were killed what would be india's image? This is an undeclared war!they have been warned https://t.co/P9vvb7S1Nw
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) April 15, 2017
For 900 people? Is this not far worse than what happened? https://t.co/If7eIaHxtw
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) April 15, 2017
Now, we are wondering if LG Panag will tell Mr Pai how to go about his business.
Earlier, the 26-year-old Farooq Ahmad Dar told DNA that he was paraded for 26 km allegedly to keep stone-pelters at bay. He said: "I cannot believe that I am alive. They first thrashed me and then tied me to the bonnet of the jeep and zoomed past several villages.”
Dar, who ekes out a living by working as a Sozni (handmade embroidery) craftsman, was on his way to Gampora when he was allegedly picked up by the army troopers near Putligam and tied to the bonnet of a jeep before being paraded around dozens of villages.
His brother Fayaz Ahmad added that Dar had even cast his vote before he left to attend the condolence meeting of a relative when he was allegedly caught by the army and tied to the bonnet of their jeep to keep stone throwers at bay.
Anger spread across Kashmir after the video went viral. Former CM Omar Abdullah tweeted Dar's picture, and demanded an investigation into the case. Later he posted a 19 second-video on his Twitter handle sparking an outrage on the social media. "Here's the video as well. A warning can be heard saying stone pelters will meet this fate. This requires an urgent inquiry & follow up NOW!!" Omar said.
According to a report in the Indian Express, the incident occurred on April 19 and he was paraded for nearly for four hours and driven nearly 25 km. Dar was quoted saying by the newspaper: “Gareeb log hain, kya karengey complain (We are poor people, what will we complain?). I live alone with my asthmatic mother who is 75 years old. I am scared. Anything can happen to me. I am not a stone-pelter.”
Dar told The Wire: “They damaged my bike, thrashed me severely with gun butts and wooden sticks and in an almost unconscious state tied me to the front of the jeep and paraded me through 10 to 20 villages.”