Amid a rather significant development for separatist politics in Kashmir as All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani stepped down. A retired IPS officer of the 1986 batch, Shesh Paul Vaid, then took to Twitter to vent out his ire against how Geelani was given a VVIP treatment while at the prison in Jharkhand and later for his medical treatment at Mumbai.
The former DGP of J&K Police wrote, "On 23rd March '99 as DIG Baramulla when I was seriously injured in a terror attack, me & my family were left to fend for ourselves for treatment in Delhi, while anti national SAS Geelani was flown in State Govt plane to Mumbai for his personal treatment. Was it fair?"
Netizens question the then Govt Policy
Following his tweet, there were many who questioned the then government's policy of handling separatists.
Aditya Raj Kaul, who is a journalist, originally from Kashmir, stated as a reply to Vaid's tweet that the issue. raised by Vaid is very serious and unpardonable. It needs to be investigated that who within the then govt of India was facilitating medical treatment and luxury for radical separatists like Geelani and terrorists like Yasin Malik in New Delhi and abroad. All this, while brave cops were left to fend for themselves.
Ashoke Pandit, Indian filmmaker, social activist, and conservationist stated that "Sir Congress has spent lacs of rupees for medical treatment of Geelani, Yaseen Malik in the best of the hospitals in the country. They have always been treated like the VVIP's because it suited the agenda of Cong- NC - PDP & Hurriyat.
Vaid, when posted as the Additional Superintendent of Police in Badgam in 1990, was promoted as Superintendent in Badgam. During that time he faced several militant attacks. One instance was when his car was attacked while he was traveling with his wife and a month-old daughter. The attack had led to the loss of life of two Army men. But when Vaid was injured and moved out of then state to Delhi, he and his family as per him were left to fend for themselves.
It should be noted that Vaid survived an ambush by a group of 25 heavily armed terrorists when he was posted in Baramulla. He has in his tenure at Jammu and Kashmir suffered several grenade attacks and rockets were aimed at his helicopter.
For his service, he was awarded the Wound Medal, which is a gallantry award and is awarded to those who sustain injuries in direct-enemy-action.
He also topped the International Commanders' programme at Police staff College in the UK.
