CPI(M) defends criticism of Army chief over 'human shield'

The CPI(M) today defended its criticism of Army chief Bipin Rawat for backing the use of a "human shield" against stone-pelters by an Army major in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it stood by "every word" it had said in this regard.
The Left party also hit back at the BJP for accusing it of being a "mouthpiece of China and Pakistan", saying the Kashmiri man used as a "human shield" was an Indian and the episode had nothing to do with China.
Senior CPI((M) leader Prakash Karat had, in the latest issue of the party's mouthpiece, People's Democracy, criticised Rawat for defending the use of a "human shield" in Kashmir, saying his comments reflected the views of the Modi government at the Centre, which "seeks to suppress" the people of the Valley.

"The editorial reflects our party's stance (on the issue) and we stand by every word of it," Karat today told reporters on the sidelines of the party's politburo meeting here.
The former CPI(M) general secretary also sought to clarify that the party had criticised the Army chief and not the armed forces.
Speaking to PTI last week, Rawat had said the Army would have found it easier to deal with the protesters in the Valley if they fired from weapons, instead of hurling stones at the security personnel.

The Army chief had also defended the actions of Major Leetul Gogoi, who had tied Farooq Dar, a Kashmiri man, to his jeep in a bid to deter the stone-pelters in the Valley.

Reacting to the BJP's "mouthpiece of China" jibe at the CPI(M), Karat wondered what did the neighbouring country have to do in this issue.
"How is China coming into it? A young man in Kashmir is tied to a jeep. He is an Indian. The Army cannot treat an Indian citizen like that. The Army chief has defended that and we have criticised those words," he added.
BJP spokesperson G V L Narsimha Rao today took a jibe at the CPI(M) for its criticism of Rawat saying the party had become a "mouthpiece of Pakistan and China".
In the editorial, Karat had warned that the Army as well as Kashmiris would suffer an "irreparable damage" due to the Centre's "blind" adherence to "use of force against civilians" in the Valley.

"Unfortunately, the Army chief is reflecting the views of the Modi government, which seeks to suppress the people of Kashmir, who are voicing their political protest, through a sole reliance on use of force," he had written.
Karat had alleged that Rawat, in his comments, had made no distinction between the young protesters throwing stones and armed militants.
"To taunt the protesters to take up arms, so that the Army could deal with them appropriately, is a needless provocation and displays an attitude which is unbecoming of a senior Army officer," he had written.
The CPI(M) leader had further alleged that the Army chief's remarks exemplified "all that is wrong" with the way the Modi government was dealing with the situation in the Valley.

"The Army Chief of Staff, by commending this act, has let down the high professional standards of the Army," he had written.