Attack on Gen. Rawat: Defence expert advises Karat to review his statement

New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): After Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) former general secretary Prakash Karat criticised Army chief General Bipin Rawat as "using force to suppress the people of Kashmir who are voicing their political protest", defence expert Praful Bakshi advised the former to kindly review his statement. "People in opposition are trying to create political advantage out of it and that is what Karat has done. He must understand and pay attention to this that what he says will adverse the effect of the morale of the forces and the youth. It's an advice to Karat to kindly review his statement and pay more attention to what he says," Bakshi told ANI. The CPM in its mouthpiece 'People Democracy' said General Rawat was reflecting the views of the Modi Government which seeks to suppress the people of Kashmir, who are voicing their political protest, through the sole reliance on the use of force. The mouthpiece said that the remarks made in an interview by the Army Chief of Staff General Bipin Rawat about dealing with civilian protestors in Kashmir exemplifies all that is wrong with the way the Modi Government is dealing with the situation there. Gen. Rawat stated in the interview that: "In fact, I wish these people instead of throwing stones at us, were firing weapons at us, then I would have been happy. Then I could do what I (want to do)," the article added. The party in its mouthpiece alleged that General Rawat also defended the wrongful action of Major Nitin Gogoi who had tied a civilian in front of a jeep to act as a human shield and drove his convoy through a number of villages. "The army chief had given a commendation to the officer even while an enquiry into the action was being held. Gen. Rawat justified the serious violation committed by Major Gogoi in the following words: "This is a proxy war ....It is played in a dirty way....That is where innovation comes. You fight a dirty war with innovation"," it added. The mouthpiece said the way Farooq Ahmad Dar, who had gone to vote in the Srinagar by-poll, was caught and tied to a jeep as a deterrent to stone pelters was a shocking incident. "The army chief of staff, by commending this act, has let down the high professional standards of the army. Some former serving generals of the army have decried the use of the civilian as a human shield. They have correctly pointed out that the army cannot treat its own people in such a manner," it further said. It alleged that General Rawat makes no distinction between young protestors throwing stones and armed militants. "He had, on an earlier occasion, warned that the army would treat all those who do not support army operations or obstruct them during encounters as "overground workers of terrorists". To taunt protestors to take up arms, so that the army could deal with them appropriately is a needless provocation and displays an attitude which is unbecoming of a senior army officer," the mouthpiece added. "Not only the people of Kashmir, but the army itself will suffer irreparable damage due to the government's blind adherence to the use of coercive force against the civilian population," it further said. (ANI)