Army’s probe into human shield case farce: Omar

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 24

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has criticised the award of the Commendation Certificate to Major Leetul Gogoi of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles, who is accused of holding a civilian hostage and tying him to a jeep in Budgam district last month. In a series of tweets on Tuesday evening, Omar said the award indicated that “the only court that matters is the court of public opinion”. “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 wrote on Twitter.

Omar, who is the working president of the opposition National Conference, further questioned New Delhi by saying that international conventions count only when “Indian can accuse others of violations”.

“International conventions like the Geneva (and) Vienna ones only count when India can accuse others of violations. Do as we say not as we do,” he tweeted.

Omar’s tweets were referring to the award of the Army Chief’s Commendation Certificate to Major Leetul Gogoi, who had tied a civilian (26) to his jeep during the parliamentary byelection last month.