Kashmir human shield row: Human Rights Watch director criticises Indian Army, gets trolled on Twitter

Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Righs Watch was criticised on social media for his stand of the Indian army using a man as a human shield earlier this month

"No one should defend Indian army's use of this young man as a human shield--certainly not India's attorney general," he tweeted.

No one should defend Indian army's use of this young man as a human shield--certainly not India's attorney general. https://t.co/9ZsRig1hEw pic.twitter.com/51FTZfs8UI

— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) April 21, 2017

Roth was quoting an article written by Meenakshi Ganguly, Human Rights Watch South Asia director, who had written a piece in Human Rights Watch's blog.

#India should not defend soldiers hiding behind a hostage in #Kashmir, or for wrongly accusing him of violence https://t.co/sU9lrkmY6C @hrw

— meenakshi ganguly (@mg2411) April 21, 2017

"What is surprising is that India’s attorney-general has also chosen to absolve the military of wrongdoing. Even as the police ordered an inquiry into the abuses against Dar, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, the highest legal advisor to the government, spoke in approving tones about the whole thing," she wrote.

Both Ganguly and Roth have faced the wrath of Twitterati.

@HayatAlvi @KenRoth You dont have time to think in front of howling jihadist mob - Mashal Khan ?, grabbing stone thrower was quick thinking

— HulaguKhan (@Shanbarani) April 21, 2017

@KenRoth @Razarumi Yes. Army should have killed those terrorists to save poll officials & police jawans.
Army should behave like army. @adgpi must take note.

— (@Sangachhwadham) April 21, 2017

@KenRoth Really? where were you when kashmiri Hindus were slaughtered?

— Niraj Dave (@Nir_27) April 21, 2017

@mg2411 @TahirFiraz @hrw I don't think they are defending, they are outright applauding the idea of Human Shield

— parched petals (@parched_petals) April 22, 2017

Twenty-six-year-old Farooq Ahmad Dar was tied to the front of a military jeep and went through several villages. While the military is facing widespread criticism for using Dar as a “human shield,” some people have defended the indefensible, arguing that this is a justified response to Kashmiri protesters who hurl stones and heckle and beat members of the security forces.