Why no clarification on Shopian firing from Defence Minister, asks Subramanian Swamy

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday hit out at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the Shopian firing case.

"Wondering why even today Defence Minister has not given a clarification. Do we take her silence to mean yes? If it is, then it's totally against party policies, sentiments of Indians and patriotism. If she doesn't give a clarification by 2 February, I'll raise the issue in the House," Swamy said.

He questioned Nirmala Sitharaman after he said that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had stated that she had discussed the issue with the Defence Minister. "The J&K CM at the floor of the House had said, 'I had brought the Shopian army firing issue to notice of the Defence Minister and she said that if you feel that a crime has been committed, go ahead and take an action'," he quoted Mehbooba.

Swamy had on Tuesday also questioned the Narendra Modi government for being in alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. ''Why are we even running that govt? I haven't understood that till date,'' he had said.

He had attacked the Mehbooba Mufti government for pursuing a criminal case against some Army personnel in connection with the death of two civilians in Shopian firing recently.

Slamming the PDP government in J&K, Swamy said, ''What's this nonsense? Dismiss that govt. Tell Mehbooba (Mufti) to withdraw the FIR else her government would be toppled.''

The strong reactions from Swamy came in view of an announcement by J&K Chief Minister that the case against those (Army personnel) involved in firing on protesters in Shopian that left two civilians dead will be taken to a "logical conclusion".

Mufti made the assertion while defending the police action amid an uproar in the state Assembly over the firing incident and a demand by BJP MLA RS Pathania for an immediate withdrawal of the FIR. 

Pathania, however, said his party supports the magisterial probe to allow the law to take its own course.

The FIR was registered against the personnel of 10, Garhwal unit, of the Army under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code. 

A Major, who led the Army personnel at the time of the incident on Saturday, was also mentioned in the FIR.

Terming the incident a "setback" to the political process, Mehbooba had said that she had spoken about it to Nirmala Sitharaman who asked her to take the required action in case there was "carelessness".

According to the police, the crowd hurled stones on a security force convoy passing through Ganovpora village in Shopian district following which the Army men fired a few rounds. A defence spokesperson, however, had said the troops opened fire when a mob tried to lynch a junior commissioned officer and snatch his service weapon.