Independent legislator and MLA Langate Er Rasheed on Saturday marched towards the BB Cantonment to protest against the use of a civilian as “human shield” during Sunday’s by-poll in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.The video of a civilian who was tied to an army jeep and paraded through the village was posted on Twitter by former Chief Minister and MLA Beerwah yesterday.The video had triggered massive outrage in Kashmir and elsewhere.Flanked by dozens of his supporters, Rasheed marched towards the gate of BB Cant to protest against the army.The protesters were carrying a poster, which read: “Do you still claim most disciplined army in the world?”, and “Army goes Israeli way, ties youth to vehicle, Shame on you”, and “Is this why you need AFSPA”.Hundreds of protestors lead by Er. Rasheed started their march from Sonwar and were shouting slogans, “Human Shield Down Down” “UN wakeup” and “Nayee Delhi say rishta Kya, Jabri Qabza aur kya”. Procession after crossing police and Army barricades proceeded towards Badami Bagh cantonment chanting forceful slogans.
However a large contingent of police and para-military forces stopped the march after reaching near the main gate of Army HQ. Protestors resisted, however forces used force to disperse the march and arrested near a dozen protestors including Er. Rasheed and lodged them in police station Ram Munshi Bagh.Before his arrest Er. Rasheed while talking to media persons said that Beeru and Pulwama incidents are a slap on Indian Army and the myth of claim of being the most disciplined army has crashed yet again.Er. Rasheed said “using innocent unarmed civilians as human shields and beating Kashmiris in the worst miserable way, is not a new phenomenon in Kashmir but for the want of evidences Army would often negate the shameful incidents claiming it a propaganda of antinational forces and Pakistani Agents. However Beerua’s incident by the courtesy of Social media has exposed New Delhi’s inhuman operations in Kashmir”. Er. Rasheed appealed world community to wake up and stand by the human rights, self respect and dignity of Kashmiris which security forces have demolished deeming it their birth right. (CNS)