NC says denial of recommendation by SHRC to human shield victim shameless  

Srinagar: Opposition National Conference on Monday lashed out at the State Government for not only denying but also ridiculing the SHRC recommendation of issuing compensation to Farooq Ahmed Dar of Beerwah, who was made human shield by army earlier this year.

In a statement, the party said the Home Department’s brazen insensitivity and arrogance was reflective of the State Government’s “shamelessness and hypocrisy” on the matter.

Political Secretary to Working President Tanvir Sadiq said the Home Department’s snub to the SHRC outlined the Mehbooba Mufti Government’s stand on human rights in the State.

“Here is a Government that is ridiculing the recommendations of the State Human Rights’ Commission and questioning the violation of Farooq Dar’s rights despite concrete proof that he was a voted who was used a human shield by the Army. Is the State Government officially condoning the use of human shields in J&K through the Home Department? This is shocking beyond words and has yet again exposed the Chief Minister’s doublespeak and rhetoric”, Tanvir Sadiq said in the statement.

The NC Leader said the State Human Rights Commission had made the recommendations after a proper investigation that established that Farooq Ahmed Dar was an innocent civilian who was not involved in stone pelting and was used as a human shield in clear violation of his basic, fundamental human rights. “Will the Home Department now dictate terms to the SHRC and decided which rights violation merits cognizance and which rights violation is in national interest? Is this the amount of respect a constitutional, quasi-judicial autonomous body enjoys under the Mehbooba Mufti Government? The State Government should just go ahead an disband the SHRC if it can’t allow it to function autonomously and respect its mandate”, Tanvir further said.

“We reiterate our demand that the State Government should ensure Farooq Dar is compensated and the guilty should be brought to book without any further delay. Major Gogoi needs to face trial in a civil court as this situation was not a combat incident and Farooq Dar was an innocent civilian. This latest attempt to cover up this war-crime is shameful and despicable and the Chief Minister is personally answerable,” he said.