Army Chief, BipinRawat, Sunday said that he can’t allow his jawans to die when thepeople are pelting stones on them in Kashmir. He also said that hewould have been happy if the protesters were firing weapons at thearmed forces instead of throwing stones.

”While referring to the Budgam incident where a youth was tiedwith the bonnet of the jeep by theArmy major on Apr 9, General Rawatsaid, the troops need innovative ways to fight against the “dirty war”in the region.

“When people are throwingstones and petrol bombs at us, Icannot tell my men ‘just wait and die’,” Rawat said, adding that, “I would have been happy if the protesterswere firing weapons at thearmed forces instead of throwing stones.”

A video of Dar tied to the frontof a moving army jeep to serve asa human shield against stone peltershad evoked anger and shockin Kashmir. Many political leaders had tweeted about the incident,leading to long debates about theissue.

The video showed the army jeepmoving ahead of an army patrol,while some villagers could be overheard  that the youth had been pickedby the army. In the clip, an armysoldier could be heardThe Army chief recently awarded a commendation cardto Gogoi praising the latter’s actions during the incident.

“Kashmir needs a composite solution, everybody will have to get involved,” Rawat said.The joint resistance leadership had called for peaceful protests after Friday prayers against the award being givento Army officer, who tied a Kashmiri civilian to the bonnet of his jeep during the Srinagar-Budgam by-poll on April 9, here.

The commendation card to Major Leetul Gogoi of 53Rashtriya Rifles was given for his “sustained efforts” in counter-insurgency operation, but the joint resistance leadership termed the move as “Indian fascism”.

Syed Ali Geelani, MirwaizOmer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik expressedstrong resentment over award to Major Gogoi, who had used 26 year old Farooq Ahmad Dar as a human shield. They havecalled for peaceful protest after Friday prayers on 26 May,against what they termed the “inhuman act’’ which they“noted vindicates our claim that India is following fascistdogma and acting as a colonial state.’’

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