DEHRADUN: Serving Army officers, some of them still in Kashmir and a few just back, have told TOI that though Major Leetul Gogoi, who used a human shield during the April 9 Srinagar Lok Sabha by-poll, was commended by Army chief Bipin Rawat "for sustained efforts in counter-insurgency operations" in J&K, the word that has quietly gone out to officers is not to follow such measures.Officers posted in the Valley have also been asked to work on bettering relations with local residents rather than resorting to such actions.A few of the serving officers who have seen action in Kashmir said that though the Army has always given importance to building better relations with locals, it has become all the more important after Gogoi’s action. “Personally, I think it wasn’t correct, but since I was not at the place of the incident, I don’t know what was going on in the officer’s mind. Although he has been feted for his action, a subtle message has been passed in various Army formations operating in J&K to not follow his example. We have been asked to focus more on bettering relations with locals rather than taking such measures,” said an Army Major who recently got posted out of Kashmir.Another serving Major, on the condition of anonymity, said, “There is a famous saying in the Valley -- ‘Jawan aur awam, aman hai mukaam’ -- which translates into ‘good relationship between the Army and natives will bring peace here’. Even in my regiment, we were told not to replicate what has been done by Gogoi and instead focus our energies on making relations with the locals more cordial.”Answering TOI’s query on the story, Col Manish Anand, PRO, Indian Army, said, “As an organization, the Indian Army does not have to pass any orders that says in future no officer should take the same action as Major Gogoi, it's something which is done by the local Army formation. Also, as the Army chief has explained, the officer did what he had to do to prevent chaos. However, it's an understood thing that this is not something which will become a common sight or a habit among other officers. The incident was an isolated one and the situation demanded it."Another officer currently serving in J&K said, “We are definitely not propagating using civilians as human shields and even if no official word is given, we are all aware that good relations with locals are important in any counter-insurgency operation areas.”Senior retired officers said the action taken by Gogoi might encourage other officers to “improvise likewise” but the results may not always be positive and it is breaking away from disciplinary norms of defence forces.Maj Gen (retd) Dipankar Banerjee, mentor, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), Delhi, told TOI, “The country lacks a clear-cut counter-insurgency policy because of which officers on the ground have to make such ‘improvisations’. Army cannot be used to resolve the situation in Kashmir, which requires political and socio-economic measures. Requirements of locals have to be considered and it is quite possible that the action taken by the officer to use a human shield might be replicated by others as well, which can only worsen the situation.”Supporting Gogoi’s action, Lt Gen (retd) Raj Kadyan, chairman, Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), said, “There is no danger in other officers copying this action since everyone has enough sense and Gogoi also took this course to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. It’s not digressing from the norms of the Army whose job is to protect people and that was also done in this case. More than the methodology, it’s the end result which is important.”