After CPIM former general secretary Prakash Karat criticised Army chief General Bipin Rawat for "using force to suppress the people of Kashmir who are voicing their political protest", defence expert Praful Bakshi advised Karat to review his statement.

"People in opposition are trying to create political advantage out of it and that is what Karat has done. He must understand and pay attention to this that what he says will adverse the effect of the morale of the forces and the youth. It's an advice to Karat to kindly review his statement and pay more attention to what he says," Bakshi told ANI.

The CPM in its mouthpiece 'People Democracy' said General Rawat was reflecting the views of the Modi Government which seeks to suppress the people of Kashmir, who are voicing their political protest, through the sole reliance on the use of force.

The mouthpiece said that the remarks made in an interview by the Army Chief of Staff General Bipin Rawat about dealing with civilian protestors in Kashmir exemplifies all that is wrong with the way the Modi Government is dealing with the situation there.

Gen. Rawat stated in the interview that: "In fact, I wish these people instead of throwing stones at us, were firing weapons at us, then I would have been happy. Then I could do what I (want to do)," the article added.