Politicians should face stone pelters in Kashmir: Veterans

An army officer’s decision to use a civilian in Kashmir as a human shield may have received support from the political establishment in New Delhi, and a section of Twitter users, but the reaction among ex-servicemen has been scathing.

There is unanimity among ex-servicemen that by pitting the army to do the job of policemen, political establishment has abdicated its own responsibility. But while some wanted the Army Chief to support the officer rather than order an inquiry, others have been voicing their outrage.

Some reactions among the veterans are as follows:

• Politicians should face stone pelters. What else is politics meant for? Don’t push the military against its own unarmed citizens.

• Has tying this civilian changed the mind of stone pelters? Or only stiffened their resolve and hatred for army even in those who were not so disoriented.

• Read about the Vietnam war and learn about the bloody kicking that Yanks got for similar habits embedded in American cowboy character. Every Vietnamese man, woman and youth rose as one.

• I was in Valley during the 1965 war. Were it not for the whole-hearted support from Muslims, we could have lost to brilliant moves in Op Gibraltar.

• The military has been pushed out of its legitimate domain and subordinated to civil authority. The governor who has a dominant role in this state seems to be unaccountable.

• It’s not an SOP in the Indian Army or any other self-respecting force. In spite of being an SOP, and tantamount to war crime, this has failed in Israel and will fail in India.

• Downright despicable military conduct that puts to shame the unit and the army. A repulsive abuse of body of an unarmed person, one’s own citizen…

• Smacks of cowardice, very low and sadistic instinct in the officer who conceived this idea and his commanding officer who permitted it. They will be first to abandon the field under fire. Setting a bad example for other soldiers.

• Symptomatic of collapse of military ethics and virtues of profession of arms, the mainstay of military morale and discipline.

• Definite signs of the army falling into the trap of learning from Israel. Kashmir is clear culpability of the Home Minister, who is ducking his responsibility. Sign of bad governance and failure of central policy, if there is one at all.

• We are making the army unfit for war!

• Found this marked habit in NDA cadets, self-righteous, regressively colonial and prone to bragging. Strain of cowardice.

• The military is not a band of ruffians or police stuntmen, should not be. Its strength lies not in crude theatrics on street which don't serve the objective, are counterproductive but also degrade military's own cohesion and moral standing.

• We are not commonplace security guards.