Political crisis brews as police file murder charges against army in India’s Kashmir
Threat to ruling coalition as BJP backs soldiers while local partner wants probe into army firing
The alliance between India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the local People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the restive Jammu and Kashmir province is being severely tested over recent civilian killings by the army amid a mounting civilian rebellion.
Government forces are at loggerheads with one another as police have filed murder charges against the army. While the BJP is vehemently supporting the army, the PDP wants an investigation to be “taken its logical end”. The army is protected by the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which gives it sweeping powers in the state.
The latest spark came late last month in Shopian, 60km south of provincial capital Srinagar, when protests broke out against the army’s effort to remove banners featuring rebels. Three young civilians were killed and a dozen injured as the army fired directly at the people, aiming above the waist, as evident from head injuries. The army said it had fired in “self-defence” when a mob tried to lynch an officer and snatch his weapon.
The opposition parties have accused the government of aggravating the situation. Former chief minister and opposition leader Omar Abdullah said there is a sense of impunity within the armed forces and cited a notorious case of army excesses eight years ago. In April 2010, three civilians described as Pakistani militants were gunned down in what is often labelled in India as “fake encounter”, or extrajudicial killings. Four years later, a court martial convicted five army officers of staging the killings. Last year, the armed forces tribunal suspended the life sentence for the accused.