Paresh Rawal has a question for those challenging Army Chief's CAA protest statement

Congress, Left and AIMIM leaders on Thursday attempted to politicise Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks relating to destructive aspects of protests over the CAA. This came even as the COAS' statement and his authority to make them was backed by several Army veterans and top leaders as well. Ex-BJP MP Paresh Rawal has supported the Army Chief's statement and has asked whether the army cannot advise the civilians for the "good of the motherland"? 

Army Chief's statement

Addressing an event in New Delhi, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said that those who lead students to commit violence and arson do not represent leadership.

"Leaders are those who lead people in the right direction. Leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions. We are witnessing a large number of college and university students, the way they are leading masses of crowds to carry out violence and arson in our cities and towns. This is not leadership," General Rawat said.

Major General GD Bakshi (Retd.), while speaking to Republic TV on Thursday, condemned the violent protests and supported COAS Bipin Rawat's remarks on the same. He reiterated that peaceful protests are an essence of democracy and everyone has the right to do it, however, he strongly opposed arson and riots while protesting. He also said that certain political parties should not use students for their personal political gains by inciting them. 

READ | 'This is not leadership': COAS Gen Rawat slams anti-CAA misdirection & arson

READ | Army chief has every right to comment on it: Maj Gen GD Bakshi backs COAS Rawat's CAA view

This statement of Army Chief has managed to ruffle AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's feathers, with the Hyderabad MP politicising it to claim that the Army Chief's statement "undermines the Modi government" and is "totally wrong".

'This is insulting the government'

Owaisi, upholding the Army Chief's statements as a sort of indictment of the entire concept of student protests, said, "His statement undermines the Modi government. If what he is saying is true then, I want to ask the government, our Prime Minister writes on his website that as a student he participated in protests during the emergency. Then, according to Army Chief's statement that was also wrong. JP Narayan had asked the students to participate in protests against Indira Gandhi government during the emergency, this statement of Army Chief undermines the government and its wrong. This is insulting the government." Earlier, Owaisi had also tweeted to express his views on Army Chief's statement.

READ | Owaisi interprets Army Chief's remarks as indictment of all student protests; lashes out

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