‘Do not use pellets in Kashmir, can’t go on blinding young protesters’

Observing that the use of pellet guns was turning out to be “lethal”, he said, “We cannot go on blinding our boys even if they are instigated to provoke,” adding that instances of young boys taking part in protests and pelting stones at security forces are many in the world, including in Palestine, but they are not fired at from pellet guns.

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh has said that wanton use of pellet guns by the CRPF against the protesters in Kashmir was unacceptable. Rubber bullets, he said, was a better option.

Indian Kashmiri girl Insha Malik, 14, in hospital after being shot with pellets fired by Indian security forces, with doctors saying she had lost vision in both eyes, in the surgical ICU hospital in Srinagar on July 14. (AFP Photo)

He was talking to media on Tuesday after inducting Panjab University Students’ Council general secretary Rishi Bhardwaj, and Vinod Dahiya and Rohit Saini of the National Students Organisation into the Congress here. The function was organised by the National Students Union of India.

Reacting to the CRPF DGP Durga Prasad’s statement that pellet guns will still be used, the Captain said they were proving lethal. “We can’t go on blinding our young boys no matter how much they provoke the security personnel. Young boys have been protesting and pelting stones at many places in the world even in Palestine, but they are not shot with the pellet guns,” he said.

Welcoming the student leaders into the party fold, Capt Amarinder said Punjab’s future was in their hands. The party will give 35 tickets to the youth leaders, he said.