Hitting out at CPI(M) general secretary for “finding faults” with the Indian Army, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu today accused the communist leader of sympathising with stone pelters.
Naidu also took strong exception to a recent article by scholar Partha Chatterjee which purportedly compares Army chief Bipin Rawat to General Dyer, infamous for the Jalianwala Bagh massacre.
“These people have sympathy for a stone pelter. They do not have sympathy for people who are leaving their family and fighting for the cause of the country,” Naidu said in Mumbai in response to Karat’s statement.
Karat had on Monday said, “Unfortunately, the Army chief is reflecting the views of the Modi government which seeks to suppress the people of Kashmir (who are voicing their political protest) through sole reliance on use of force.”
Naidu accused the CPM leader of overlooking the help which terrorists receive from Pakistan.
“He (Karat) will not see the force used by Pakistan- inspired terrorists. Unfortunately, he is only trying to find faults with the Indian Army which is doing a great job to protect the unity and integrity of our country and secure our citizens. The neighbour (Pakistan) is abetting, aiding, funding and training terrorists,” the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister said.
“Major Gogoi (who ordered a man to be tied to an army jeep to prevent stone pelting) did a great job of saving the lives of Election Commission officials and a local constable from a stone pelter,” he said.
Also, the article by scholar Partha Chatterjee comparing Chief of Army Staff Gen Rawat with General Dyer is “atrocious, height of perversion and idiotic comparison,” the senior BJP leader said.
Majority of Indians support the Army which is reflected by the public support for the forces on social media on the issue, the Union minister added.
(With PTI inputs)
