Lt Gen H S Panag, a former Commanding Officer with the Indian Army today posted images of the martyrs who died in the Indian Air Force chopper crash in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.
Seven young men stepped out into the sunshine yesterday, to serve their motherland. India.
This is how they came home. pic.twitter.com/OEKKcyWj0p— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) October 8, 2017
The image is of the bodies of the martyrs wrapped in plastic bags and makeshift coffins made of cardboard. At first glance, it seems like an insult to the martyrs, especially on a day when India celebrates 85th Air Force Day.
He further tweeted images of the the coffins laid down, where it appears disrespectful to keep the bodies of martyrs like that.
2. Seven young men stepped out into the sunshine yesterday, to serve their motherland. India.
This is how they came home. pic.twitter.com/rlSbdpJyR4— Lt Gen H S Panag(R) (@rwac48) October 8, 2017
Soon, outrage started pouring in for the alleged mistreatment of martyrs by the ‘nationalist’ government.
In “nationalist” India, soldiers who died in the line of duty are brought home like this. What a shame.
Pics via Gen @rwac48 pic.twitter.com/3JkJD4XK7e— Saikat Datta (@saikatd) October 8, 2017
Shameful. This is how we treat the bodies of our soldiers. What kind of nationalists are we? https://t.co/l8VTkCt9uU
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) October 8, 2017
No. If so, this is heart breaking.Ironic too in an age of shrill hashtag TV Nationalism https://t.co/1oYm9sa8At
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) October 8, 2017
An abusive troll masquerading as journalist, Swati Chaturvedi also chimed in for fear of missing out on targeting Modi.
Makes you ashamed as an Indian. Do they deserve this after supreme sacrifice. While, RW trolls fake “nationalism”! https://t.co/5D0rLrV9SM
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) October 8, 2017
Soon, images of the bodies of the martyrs, giving full respect to them, were shared, which revealed that the initial images were from the time the bodies were recovered.
@rwac48 sir.
1.The terrain is inhospitable
2. Bodies were charred(stiff)
3.Evac was imp then to wait for bags.**
4.cdr on ground did best https://t.co/LpKr8VChWG— Major D. P. Singh (@MajDPSingh) October 8, 2017
This is how they finally came home. The initial recovery was difficult. You of all people should know the remote locations @rwac48 pic.twitter.com/WZgyOJrLzc
— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 8, 2017
One would expect Lt Gen Panag, of all people, would know how retrieval from remote location would work, especially when weather conditions are not favourable.
Because all remote posts may not have canvas bags.Because vagaries of weather in Arunachal makes evacuation urgent.Only those on ground know https://t.co/56q1BG4Ufo
— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 8, 2017
This is how the 7 soldiers were sent home. Pix of cardboard wrapped bodies are from when they were retrieved from post located 14000 ft. pic.twitter.com/Blpjok94YV
— Shreya Dhoundial (@shreyadhoundial) October 8, 2017
There is no doubt that the martyrs, even when their remains are being evacuated from inhospitable terrain, deserve utmost respect, but insinuating that the government, the Army or the Air Force deliberately disrespected them is utterly disgusting. Guess when you have a political point to score, respect for the uniform you once donned gets thrown out of the window.
