New Delhi: Two distinguished Army veterans have gone on record to criticise the woman who used harsh language against against security personnel at the Minimarg check post in Ladakh recently after finding the road blocked.
Lieutenant General Devendra Pratap Pandey (Retd), former commandant of the Army War College, Mhow, said that she had caused ‘damages’ through her behaviour.
Accusing her of trying to create a division between Kashmiris and other Indian citizens, he noted that Kashmiris regularly endure security checks without complaint from anyone.
In a video that has now gone viral, the woman is heard saying that Kashmiris are “locked up” by security forces.
“No government or security force enjoys it. Today, the situation is peaceful because of the very uniform she said that draws pay through her tax,” Lt Gen Pandey wrote, as reported by Mint.
He credited the region’s peace to soldiers earning modest salaries. He sarcastically suggested crowdfunding the woman’s salary to serve in a place like Siachen.
The retired general officer noted how soldiers pay taxes even before receiving their pay. According to him, this means advance taxation, followed by the claim back of overpayments.
Criticising the woman for casting Gen Z in a negative light, Pandey said his personal experience with the generation showed patience and respect instead.
“They are patient, polite, respectful, and well behaved… even though in a digital world. Yet to come across (anyone) like her in J&K and rest of India. Exceptions always existed in my time, before and thereafter,” he wrote.
He praised the young soldiers for how respectfully they handled the confrontation.
Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon (Retd), who served as DG, Defence Intelligence Agency and deputy chief of Integrated Defence Staff, also responded critically to the viral video. He also reminded the woman that soldiers paid taxes before receiving salaries.
Tourists could safely visit such forward areas because soldiers guarded them, the general officer noted. According to him, soldiers do this daily, sometimes risking their own lives.
“You can go for vacation to such areas bcoz our soldiers are guarding it day & night, even at the cost of their lives,” he wrote.
Lt Gen Dhillon criticised her language, linking it to her upbringing and education. He urged her to remain respectful in future interactions.
“Learn to be a good law-abiding citizen before asking for entitlement. And lastly… Get Well Soon,” he wrote.
The incident reportedly occurred on July 25 at the check post in Kargil, Ladakh.
Accusing the authorities of treating tourists like they treated local Kashmiris, unfairly, she declared that her generation wouldn’t tolerate such treatment.
“We are Gen-Z and we shall not tolerate this nonsense,” she was heard shouting.
She has earlier been criticised by Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah for such language.
According to reports, defence minister Rajnath Singh and Army chief General Dhiraj Seth were travelling nearby at the time. Poor weather forced them to switch from air to road transport. This caused temporary traffic restrictions.
In a latest video, the woman has apologised for her behaviour and said that her intent was not to show disrespect to the Army.
