SRINAGAR: Lashing out at people for calling him ‘terrorist sympathizer’ over his stand on human shield row, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said if supporting rule of law makes him anti-national person in the eyes of some, then that’s just my cross to bear.
“I’m not a terrorist sympathiser, I don’t support stone pelting or secessionists. I do however support values enshrined in the constitution,” Mr Abdullah, who is the working president of main opposition in the state National Conference (NC), wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.
“The rule of law is one such value and if supporting it makes me anti-national person in the eyes of some then that’s just my cross to bear,” he added.
Meanwhile, taking a jibe at people for suggesting that his party should drop ‘national’ from its name, he asked would they like us to apply to the EC to have our name changed to J&K Anti-national Conference.
“Problem is JKANC already exists – awami NC,” he added.
Yesterday, in a series of tweets the former chief minister denounced as “farce” the Army Court of Inquiry (CoI) against Major Leetul Gogoi, who used a man as human shield during by-polls to Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on April 9 in Budgam.
“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,” he had said.
The remarks of Mr Abdullah had come in the back drop of the Major being honoured by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat recently with a ‘Commendation Card’ “for his sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations.”
The Major had tied a man to the army vehicle during polling in the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election on April 9 as human shield to evade stone pelting.
However, the incident triggered a public outcry, prompting the Army to institute a probe and the police to register a case against the officer.
Mr Abdullah also alleged 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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Major Gogoi had on Tuesday in a television interview explained the “circumstances” around tying the man to the jeep, which he said saved at least 12 lives.
More than a thousand people had surrounded them after they had gone for inspection of a polling station in Budgam, he added.
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