Ruling PDP disapproves of commendation for Major Gogoi

Ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which shares power with the BJP, today disapproved of the Army chief's commendation for Major Leetul Gogoi who had tied up a man to a jeep as a shield against stone-pelting in Kashmir last month.
PDP general secretary Nizamuddin Bhat said honouring Gogoi was not proper as the act was a human rights violation.
He said action should be taken against any human rights violation.
"If he (officer) has been rewarded for this bravado, I do not feel this is proper," Bhat told reporters here.
He was responding to a question about the Major being honoured yesterday with the Army chief's Commendation Card for his sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations.

"The stand of the PDP is that this seems wrong in public perception. This is a human rights violation and there should be an investigation," the PDP leader said.

The Army Major is at the centre of a row for tying a Kashmiri man Farooq Ahmad Dar to an army vehicle during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9 allegedly as a shield against stone-pelting.
Gogoi today appeared before the media to say that his action was intended to save the lives of many people.
Breaking his silence, he said about 1200 stone-pelters had surrounded a small group of security personnel at a polling booth in Utligam village of Budgam district and if he had ordered firing, there could have been at least 12 casualties.