Did Mehbooba Mufti send army jawans to Tihar jail? Here's the truth
New Delhi, Feb 21: As the experts trying to find the loopholes in the security that led to the killing of 40 CRPF personnel at Pulwama in a terror attack on February 14, an accusation has been floated against former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti, that it was her earlier order that prevented the explosive laden SUV from checking.
In a video clip that is being widely shared on social media Major General (retd.) GD Bakshi that Mehbooba Mufti had made army apologise and even sent jawans to Tihar jail after a firing incident on a check post near Srinagar.
In the video he Bakshi was also seen elaborating on how the system of checkposts and barriers on roads in Kashmir was dismantled after Mehbooba's order.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found several discrepancies in Bakshi’s claim. No army men involved in this incident ever went to Tihar jail.
Gen. Bakshi made the claim during a TV show. Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi also shared the video through her verified Twitter account. Some people shared this clipping on Facebook as well.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy also claimed that the "army jawans were prosecuted and are still in jail".
Here’s the English translation of what Bakshi said during the TV show: During the Mehbooba Mufti's rule, there were three army checkposts outside Srinagar. One day, an annoyed Kashmiri man questioned why he was being stopped at the barricades. In a rage, the man crashed the first barrier, then the second one and despite repeated warnings, he did not stop. When he crashed the third barrier, army personnel opened fire and the man died on the spot. This led to huge outrage and protests from locals. Mehbooba Mufti ensured that the soldier who had opened fire was jailed, and he is still in Tihar jail. After this incident, the barriers were removed.
Listen to this please. pic.twitter.com/iC8Djq1a7B
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) February 17, 2019
However, there are some factual errors in Gen. Bakshi's story;
The above mentioned incident took place on November 3, 2014 at Chattergam in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to a report in
The Indian Expressfive boys were traveling from Chattergam towards Nowgam on a main road around 5.15pm when their car was fired upon by 53 Rashtriya Rifles men. Two of them died in the firing. There are different versions of eyewitnesses, police and army on what preceded the firing at the barricade.However, this incident did not take place during Mehbooba's rule as claimed by Gen. Bakshi, but Omar Abdullah was the chief minister in November 2014. The PDP came to power in April, 2015 and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became the chief minister. Mehbooba became the chief minister in April 2016 after her father’s death.
Following the incident, Army had to face the fury of the people of the valley with several protests and violence taking place in the entire region. An FIR was filed against army personnel at Chadoora police station.
The army agreed that soldiers of 53 Rashtriya Rifles involved in the incident were at fault. A court of inquiry was initiated against nine soldiers, according to media reports.
However, there is no media report suggesting that these soldiers were convicted and sent to Tihar jail.
A detailed report regarding this in
The Quintquotes the top officer in charge at the time, Lt. Gen. (retd.) DS Hooda, saying the claims of security personnel being court-martialed was fake news.
Who authorised the prosecution of our army jawans who in 2014 shot at a Maruti car which smashed through three check points without stopping? That person is responsible for this latest SUV to get near the convoy killing 37 CRPF jawans. The army jawans are still in jail
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) February 16, 2019
The army sources also confirmed to
India Todaythat the accused were never sent to jail.When India Today reached out to Gen. Bakshi about the claims that he made during the TV show. He agreed that he was wrong about his claim regarding the army men languishing in jail. However, he insisted that the PDP government was responsible for relaxing the security checking procedures in the Valley which were earlier being followed.
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Kharge has put 'full stop' to leadership speculation in Karnataka: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue of leadership change in the state.
Kharge's statement has a lot of significance and there ends the matter for now. Everyone in the party should respect and accept this, he said.
Parameshwara was referring to Kharge's statement on Thursday that there was no chief minister change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
Kharge's statement came amid speculation within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
"Mallikarjun Kharge is our party's national president. He has a lot of experience. Several people, including me, have said that in the case of change (in leadership), if he (Kharge) comes (as CM), no one could speak in front of his experience and everyone would accept it. While replying to it, Kharge said that there is a chief minister now, and there is no question of change as of now," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I welcome his (Kharge) statement because I feel he has expressed his opinion after a discussion involving him, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (both AICC general secretaries). I may be right or wrong. I feel that his statement has a lot of significance. So that matter ends there for now."
Responding to a question on repeated statements by several party leaders regarding leadership change, the home minister said, what the AICC chief has said on the matter is final. It should be respected and accepted by all in the party. There is no meaning in interpreting it further.
"I cannot respond to what others say, but I can say my opinion. In my opinion, the AICC chief is the supreme authority in the party. He, along with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are our high command. If the high command has said something, we should both respect and accept it. There ends the matter," he said.
Kharge has put a "full stop" on the issue, he further said, adding that, "When he has said there is no change. It is a full stop."
Responding to a question on Parameshwara's recent statement about Kharge becoming chief minister, the AICC chief on Thursday said, "You (media), he (Parameshwara), and people at the top say that it is better if I become CM. But more than fate, as per my ideology and my service to the party so far, Sonia Gandhi makes decisions regarding me."
He had further said, "But that question does not arise now. There is already a CM here. If Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and I together have to take any decision in that direction, it will take some time. Let's wait and see."
Kharge on Friday too said no date has been fixed yet to discuss a possible leadership change in Karnataka.
Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in line with a reported power-sharing agreement with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly elections. Some have even claimed that "sweet news" is expected by May 15, which is Shivakumar's birthday.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by a reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
