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CHANDIGARH : General VP Malik (retd), who led India to victory in the Kargil war, on Friday said Major Leetul Gogoi who tied a local on his jeep as human shield for protection against stone pelters could have been chargesheeted.

(Left to right) Former army chief General VP Malik (retid), PU vicechancellor Arun Kumar Grover and Lt Gen K J Singh (retd) in Panjab University in Chandigarh on Friday. n SIKANDER SINGH/HT“Gogoi could be chargesheeted but you would have condoned it —after all his intentions were right. We have seen worse incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1990s,” he said. Malik was addressing a seminar on ‘J&K-The way forward’. “You (army) don’t have to announce it. But, you keep doing your job,” he said. On the topic of politicisation of the army, he said one or two people cannot politicise the army. “You take it from me that army will not allow itself to get politicised,” he said. He blamed PDPBJP alliance for the “mess”. “The whole mess is due to common minimum programme between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP didn’t read what they signed up for,” he said, adding that talks with separatists was part of agenda but at that time BJP was in hurry to form the government.

“They are now backing out. When you talk to separatists you are pampering them. Unless you remove ideologues, you will not find a solution,” he said. Malik said that unified command was not working in Kashmir.

‘JINGOISM ON TV’

Malik also called for curtailing jingoism on TV channels. “You have to handle the situation firmly. I don’t know how long the present coalition will last. Gover nor’s Rule can succeed if there is synergy,” he said.

Lt Gen DS Hooda (retd), former army commander, northern command, said, “Everyone in Kashmir is not a stone-pelter and every stone-pelter is not paid. If you think every chap who has picked up a stone and is being paid Rs 50, that is incorrect.” He pointed out that they had to stem recruitment in terrorist camps which gained pace in 2014 and 2015, as relatives of those killed joined militancy.

‘I FORESEE CHINA’S PUSH IN LADAKH’

Gen Hooda further pointed out that when Nawaz Sharif was about to win in 2013 there was escalation in firing along the Line of Control (LoC) by the Pakistan army. “Our efforts of diplomatic isolation of Pakistan have failed I foresee China’s push in Ladakh in the future.” Former ambassa dor KC Singh said the present mindset in India about Pakistan rhetoric was “coloured and prej udiced”.

Singh brought forward vari ous reasons why India went to the UN Security Council and how the plebiscite clause came into being Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi (retd) former vice-chief of the army called for rule of law and an “end to appeasement of separatists”.