Gen Rawat’s remarks on ‘human shield’ erode value system of Indian Army: Mohd Salim

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) Big row has erupted over Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat’s comment that military need innovative ways including human shield to fight against “dirty war” in Jammu and Kashmir. The CPI-M leader Mohd Salim today said such remarks from the serving army chief seeks to challenge the country’s civilisational and administrative “value system”. “We don’t join issue with serving army officers we are proud of security force who are risking their lives but how the value system is being eroded,” Mohd Salim told a television channel. He also went onto question the “capacity” of the Army chief for making such remarks about military operation. “This is not the Indian army I know since my childhood,” Mohd Salim said. Union Minister and BJP leader from West Bengal Babul Supriyo yesterday supported the views of Army chief Gen Rawat favouring ‘human shield’ episode deployed by security force personnel during an election duty and that the troops need innovative ways to fight against the ‘dirty war’ in Jammu and Kashmir. “Army chief Bipin Rawat defends human shield incident, says troops need innovative ways to fight against Dirty War” in Kashmir. I agree,” Mr Supriyo has tweeted.
“You fight a dirty war with innovations. …..proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way. The rules of engagements are there when the adversary comes face-to-face and fights with you. It is a dirty war…. That is where innovation comes in. You fight a dirty war with innovations,” Gen Rawat has been quoted in the media. Meanwhile, Congress leader P L Puniya said the Army chief should be given free hand to decide about the course of military operations and the political system should not interfere into it. Maj Leetul Gogoi, who had tied a civilian to an Army jeep’s bonnet, during movement of a poll-related security contingent in Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded with the Chief of Armed Staff Commendation certificate for his role in counter insurgency operations. The controversy of ‘human shield’ had erupted when the five-vehicle convoy led by Major Gogoi comprising 12 poll officials and nine ITBP men and two policemen were moving in Kashmir on election duty. Among others, Congress leader and Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, a former Army man himself, had also lauded Major Gogoi’s role. UNI