Why Aren’t Karni Sena Goons Tied in Front of Jeeps and Paraded, Asks Omar Abdullah

New Delhi: Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Thursday waded into the row surrounding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat.

Why Karni Sena goons were not tied in front of jeeps, he asked on Twitter, adding that he thought that was a much lauded form of crowd control.

He further went on to defend Bollywood stars on the issue, asking why should they be expected to say anything on the issue when the political leadership itself was silent on it.

Abdullah’s comments came as several parts of country witnessed violent agitations by Rajput groups against the release of Padmaavat, particularly the Karni Sena.

On Thursday, audiences defied threats of violence to stream into theatres to watch the opening day shows of the period film. This comes a day after goons attacked a school bus carrying children in Gurugram.

Abdullah’s tweet made a tongue in cheek reference to human shield row which broke out in Kashmir last year. Farooq Ahmed Dar, was tied to the bonnet of an Army vehicle and taken around 19 villages in Budgam during the Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll on April, purportedly as a shield against stone pelters.

A video grab showed the youth tied to an Army vehicle, eliciting sharp reactions from civil society. However, the Army backed Major Leetul Gogoi, who had tied Dar, and honoured with him with the Army chief's 'Commendation Card' for his 'sustained efforts' in counter-insurgency operations. He said he took the step to save local people.

The Army's claims that Dar was among the stone pelters was not substantiated by local police officials, who established Dar's statement that he was on his way to another village to for offering condolences. Dar's statement that he was taken hostage after he cast his ballot was verified by the district election officer.