Army inquiry into human shield case a farce: Omar Abdullah

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah has denounced the Army’s court of inquiry against Major Leetul Gogoi for strapping a man to a jeep as a human shield as “farce”

Abdullah’s remarks came after the accused Major was honoured by the Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat recently with a ‘Commendation Card’ “for his sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations”.

“In future, please don’t bother with the farce of a military court of inquiry. Clearly the only court that matters is the court of public opinion,” Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

The video of Farooq Ahmad Dar, a resident of central Kashmir’s Budgam district tied to the army vehicle during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on 9 April, had triggered a public outcry, prompting the Army to institute a probe and the police to register a case against the officer.

Abdullah suggested that the government was adopting double standards on issues of human rights violations.

“And international conventions like the Geneva/Vienna ones only count when India can accuse others of violations. Do as we say, not as we do,” the National Conference working president said.

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