Separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani slams Centre over glorification of Major who tied stone-pelter to army jeep in J&K

Srinagar: Kashmiri separatist leader and chief of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Tuesday strongly came down on the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre over the glorification of Major Leetul Gogoi, who tied a man to a jeep in Kashmir purportedly as a 'human shield' against stone-pelters.

"Honouring such an officer clearly vindicates our claim that this is a state sponsored policy and if not stopped it will prove detrimental for human lives. It is ridiculous to award said officer for the insensitive human shield incident. It is not an exemplary act," Geelani said in a statement.

Earlier, the political parties were left irked when Major Gogoi was awarded by Chief of Army Staff's (COAS) Commendation Card for his sustained distinguished service till now in counter-insurgency operations in the state. They cited that the measures taken up by Gogoi against stone-pelters would only aggravate the situation in the Valley.

The officer was awarded by Army chief Gen. Bipin Rawat during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Major Gogoi was in the spotlight after a video shot during the April 9 Srinagar Lok Sabha by-polls, posted on the social media, showed a man tied on the bonnet of an Army jeep in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam.

The video went viral and sparked a major controversy, with one faction condemning the Army's action while the other commended their ingenuity.

The Court of Inquiry regarding April 9 incident is under finalisation.