Senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz, who hails from Kashmir, has courted a controversy after he reportedly questioned the National Human Rights Commission as to why it did not act against Major Littul Gogoi of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles for tying a protester to his jeep.
Saifuddin Soz has in the past held posts of Union Minister of Water Resources and Union Minister of Environment and Forests.
On 9th April, Major Gogoi had come into the limelight after it was reported how he had come up with a novel idea to tie a protester to the bonnet of his jeep in order to escape an attack by hundreds of stone pelters while he was returning with poll officials in Budgam, Kashmir.
This action of Major Gogoi was hailed by many as a stroke of genius as any escalation between Army and stone pelters could have caused more fatalities. According to Major Gogoi, he and his troops were faced by a huge mob of about 1200 protesters, which initially was pelting stones but then took it to the next level by starting to hurl petrol bombs at the army.
According to him, if he had not tied the protester to the jeep to prevent the attacks, he would have had to open fire which would have resulted in the deaths of many people. The man who was tied to the jeep was also no saint. According to Major Gogoi, he was the one who was instigating the huge crowd.
This action also seems to have been recognized by the Indian Army, which has proceeded to reward Major Gogoi for his contribution to counter insurgency operations despite this “controversy” dogging him.
However, all this doesn’t seem to have cut ice with Senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz. He reportedly approached the NHRC on 24th May in order to ask them as to what action they took against Major Gogoi with regards to the Major’s “gross violation” of human rights.
The Congress leader further stated that the head of the NHRC should either assert his position or resign from his post after failing to anything in regards to the Major getting a reward.
Saifuddin Soz has recently too been in the news for the wrong reasons. In April he was quoted to have said that “current problem in Kashmir is created by India not by Pakistan”.
This isn’t the only time Congress leaders have been seen touting the separatist line when it comes to Kashmir. Only yesterday it was reported that Congress Leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had met with seperatist Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at the latter’s residence.
After he was questioned regarding this absurd act, rather than providing a possible explanation he had proceeded to called the news channel as anti-national:
Mani Shankar Aiyar refuses to answer questions on his meeting with Hurriyat leaders — lashes out at Republic TV #CongressForHurriyat pic.twitter.com/zDKKzXznAb
— Republic (@republic) May 25, 2017
