Military veterans have flagged two contrasting faces attributed to the Indian Army on the same day last week — one in Kashmir and the other in Manipur.
At least one veteran has askedan uncomfortable question: wouldthe defence forces have done in Kashmir what it was compelled to do in Manipur?
Last week, the army disclosed that security forces released a dozen militants in Manipur after being surrounded by a mob. The security forces included soldiers.
Hours earlier on the same day, it was alleged, a major in Kashmir’sPulwama forced worshippers at a mosque to chant “Jai Shri Ram”.
“A sharp contrast with happenings in Manipur where mobs are forcing release of terrorists from acquiescing military! Jammu and Kashmir,Pulwama: Major accused of forcing worshippers at mosque to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in Kashmir,” former lieutenant general H.S. Panag tweeted on Tuesday.
On Saturday, the army had “handed over” 12 cadres of the banned insurgent group Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, including a militant accused of masterminding the massacre of 18 soldiers in 2015, to a “local leader”at a village in Imphal East district following a standoff with a women-led mob. The army had said the “mature” decision was taken to avoid any“collateral damage” during theongoing conflict in Manipur thathas led to the death of at least 130 people and the displacement ofover 60,000.
In south Kashmir’s Pulwama in the small hours of Saturday, soldiers led by a major from the counter-insurgency wing had allegedly stormed two mosques in Pulwama district of south Kashmir and forced worshippers to chant “Jai Shri Ram”.
The army has so far maintained silence on the allegations but security sources confirmed on Monday that an officer had been removed for his alleged role in the incident.
A retired brigadier wondered what would have been the reaction of the army if the defence force was surrounded by residents demanding the release of militants in Kashmir.
The army in Kashmir does not even hand over the bodies of slain militants to their families, burying them at designated graveyards in remote areas. The army has frequently used force and detention against protesters in Kashmir, one of the most heavily militarised zones in the world.
“I am sure the army would have responded in a different manner if such an incident had happened in Kashmir. What we are witnessing in Manipur over the past 50 days is a complete collapse of law and order and for that the credit goes to the Prime Minister for remaining silent on the crisis. There has been complete dereliction of duty and violation of obligation to the Constitution in not acting in a resolute and non-partisan manner,” the retired brigadier told The Telegraph.
He questioned the priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a time Manipur has been gripped by violence since May 3. “It has been over 50 days and he has not spoken a word on the crisis, and today he chose to flag off Vande Bharat trains in Madhya Pradesh and also spoke to booth-level (BJP) workers in the poll-bound state,” he said.
Colonel (retired) Ashok Kumar Singh said in a tweet: “The Major who forced Muslims to chant Jai Shri Ram must face court martial. His services must be terminated.”
Contrasting the two faces of the army, another former colonel recalled how Major Leetul Gogoi had tied a Kashmiri civilian, Farooq Ahmad Dar, to his jeep as a human shield against stone-throwers in 2017. “The major had then earned praise from the army top brass for his horrific action,” he said.
