New Delhi: The Indian Army “does not stop any civil movement” on the national highway in Kashmir and ambulances are “always accorded priority for movement and they are not stopped anywhere by Security Forces”, the Ministry of Defence claimed in its reply to Srinagar MP Syed Ruhullah Mehdi’s question in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The National Conference MP called the Ministry’s response “blatant lies” and shared videos on X (formerly Twitter) in which security forces can be seen stopping civilian vehicles including ambulances to give way to army convoys.
“I asked GoI to stop the harassment of people and blockading of traffic including ambulances on Sgr-Jmu national highway during security forces convoy movement. This is their response. Full of blatant lies. Also sharing some video evidence in the thread to expose their lies,” Mehdi wrote in a post on X on Friday evening.
I asked GoI to stop the harassment of people and blockading of traffic including ambulances on Sgr-Jmu national highway during security forces convoy movement.
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) November 29, 2024
This is their response. Full of blatant lies.
Also sharing some video evidence in the thread to expose their lies. pic.twitter.com/wqm3eZ14j7
He shared a photo of the MoS Defence Sanjay Seth’s reply in Lok Sabha juxtaposing it with a photo of civilian traffic, including an ambulance, halted on highway somewhere in Kashmir, while an army vehicle is seen passing through on the opposite lane.
In one of the videos the MP shared in the comments section on his post on X, an ambulance and multiple civilian vehicles are seen halted on the highway as security forces man the road while a convoy of army vehicles passes on the parallel lane.
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) November 29, 2024
In another video, a trooper is seen stopping an ambulance which tries to rush through. The seemingly angry trooper is seen pointing his finger towards the driver.
— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) November 29, 2024
Mehdi in his question in Lok Sabha asked whether traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National highway “is stopped multiple times at multiple places at every few kilometres for the army or paramilitary movement on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway”. He had also asked whether ambulances too are also stopped by the security forces.
The NC MP had sought details along with the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to stop “this humiliating practice which also violates the human rights”.
The MoS Defence in his reply said as part of drill, regular movement of convoys takes place between Jammu and Srinagar for various operational as well as administrative reasons.
“The Indian Army follows detailed procedures for the movement of convoys with due emphasis on friendly move of the populace,” the Minister said.
“Owing to security reasons and to thwart incidents like attack/ambush of convoy in past, Road Opening Parties are sent out prior to the movement of any Security Forces Convoy. Traffic is regulated, temporarily, particularly at points where laterals meet the NH 44 and at U Turns, during the movement of the Army/CAPF convoys,” his reply read.
The minister further said that “Indian Army does not harass or stop any civil movement on the National Highway”.
“The charter of civilian traffic regulation is of the State authorities/Jammu and Kashmir Police. Ambulances are always accorded priority for movement and they are not stopped anywhere by Security Forces,” the Minister’s reply read.
Stopping civilian traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway to allow smooth passage of security forces’ convoys was a decision taken days after the 2019 Pulwama attack.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had then announced in Srinagar that civilian traffic movement will be stopped to allow smooth movement of convoys. Singh sought people’s cooperation acknowledging that the move would be an inconvenience to civilians.
Meanwhile, several users replied to Mehdi’s post on X and claimed they were witness to civilian traffic and ambulances being stopped by security forces on the highway.
“We have faced this situation a lot of times, I can't forget the incident when I along with my family were stopped while we were referred to SKIMS for emergency surgery of my aunt but they didn't let us go and we literally begged to them,” read a comment by one of the X users.
Another user wrote: “They do it all the time...I almost missed my entrance exam once because we were stopped by the army.”
“This menacing security drill to stop on-going traffic on such a major highway is nothing short of harassment to the people of this state. The collective punishment must be done away with at once. We applaud your efforts for highlighting this discrimination!” read another comment.
