| BJP MP questions HM Rajnath's internal security policy | | Stone-pelters, amnesty | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 13: BJP MP and former Lt Gen DP Vats has finally come out to question openly HM Rajnath Singh's internal security policy, saying the need of the time was to shoot the stone-pelters down, and not grant amnesty to them.
"The Government of India should have shot dead stone-pelters instead of withdrawing cases against them," The BJP MP said in Chandigarh while tearing into the HM's internal security policy.
I read about the withdrawal of cases against stone-pelters but I think those pelting stones should be shot dead," former Ly General Vats said without mincing words.
The BJP MP's remarks came two days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Srinagar that cases against first-time stone-pelters were withdrawn as "children make mistakes" and "their future shouldn't be put in jeopardy".
Earlier in November 2017, Union Home Minister had asked J&K CM Mehbooba to grant amnesty to first-time stone-pelters and the state government of which the BJP is a part withdrawn cases against almost 10,000 stone-pelters. What happened thereafter in Kashmir is known all over the country. Suffice it to say that the decision only emboldened stone-pelters and accorded a dangerous respectability to the cult of stone-pelting.
It needs to be noted that only a week ago the Defence Ministry had took just a contradictory stand on stone-pelters before the National Human Rights Commission whose doors three children of security forces' personnel had knocked against the decision of the Home Ministry to grant amnesty to stone-pelters. The Defence Ministry, unlike the Union Home Ministry, told the NHRC that the grant of amnesty to stone-pelters "would demoralize security forces and embolden militants to use civilians as human shields for their terror activities".
As a matter of fact, the Defence Ministry had told the NHRC that "it is the duty of the state government to take strong action against stone-pelters and provocateurs to safeguard the human rights of members of the armed forces operating in J&K".
It needs to be underlined that India is the only country in the world which treats dreaded stone-pelters with kid-gloves. In other countries, stone-pelters, also called rock-throwers and boulder-throwers, are awarded stringent punishment. In US, they suffer life imprisonment and in China, they are tied in 4x4x4 chambers. In Israel, they, including minors, remain behind bars for 20 years. Russia, Australia, Turkey, to mention, only a few countries, too deal with stone-pelters with a heavy hand. That's the reason stone-pelters in these countries think a 100-time before pelting stones on security forces personnel and state properties. |
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