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| Calling for census of militants in J&K is seen as a futile task | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 9: Some of the recent reports have indicated that the Government of India wants to be quite sure about the number of militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir after the Ministry of Defence and the Union Home Ministry have slightly differed on the number of rebels active in the state. Well it seems quite amazing and interesting because till date no set procedure or method has been adopted for counting the number of militants. Neither there are any sophisticated gadgets nor is it possible for the human eye to spot militants, count them and communicate the information in writing to the Government.
Invariably the number of militants keeps on changing depending on increase or decrease in the level of infiltration. In addition to this, number of militants keep on changing depending on the rate of their elimination by the security forces. But the Central Government, as per the reports, would like to have accurate figures on the number of militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Reports have indicated that the Centre has called for a fresh assessment of the number of militants active in Jammu and Kashmir so that measures for flushing them out could be framed accordingly.
What seems to have motivated or prompted the centre to call for fresh assessment on the number of militants active in Jammu and Kashmir is lack of unanimity in the reports on number of militants present in the state submitted by the Ministry of Defence and the Union Ministry of Home. Reports indicate that while the Ministry of Defence has informed the Centre that there were 300 militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir the assessment from the Ministry of Home Affairs says there are 200 militants active in the state.
The idea behind fresh assessment was to enable the security forces to have a clear idea about the level of militant threat in Jammu and Kashmir. If the two Ministries have agreed with each other it is on the level of ingress of militants and both sides have informed the Centre that the level of infiltration and ingress bids have gone up during the last six months. There are reports indicating that a good number of militants may have successfully infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir during this year.
At the same time the security agencies have been asked not to lower the guard. They have been asked to build more pressure on militants to destabilize their bases"MOD and MHA have informed the Centre that atleast four militant outfits- Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Al Badr - have a presence in J&K.
As far as identifying the militant groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir the task is not as difficult as that of counting the number of militants active in the state. Which militant groups are present is usually known to security forces either during a major encounter in which some militants get killed or during a militancy related incident for which a particular group claims responsibility. But there is no apparatus or mechanism which can help the security forces to, what may be called, carry out a census of the guntoting youth active in Jammu and Kashmir. If the security forces are able to carry out accurate counting of militants operating in the state it may be quite easy for the troops and the police to eliminate them.
Invariably militants play hide and seek with security forces. These militants keep on changing their areas of operation and their hideouts. This makes counting their heads all the more difficult. The case is similar to the rate of infiltration of militants. Since the task of carrying out a "census" on the rate of ingress the figures on successful infiltration keep on varying and there has never been any identical view of the state police and troops on the matter. And if troops know wherefrom militants have started trekking into Jammu and Kashmir they could easily kill them. Hence it is share waste of time and energy if security and intelligence agencies are asked to make fresh assessment on the number of militants operating in the state.
Whether it is 200 or 300 militants the number is not small because even a small group of militants can carry out massacres, arson and destruction of private and public property on a large scale. And if one examines Government report during the last five years the number of militants has remained stationary between 200 and 300.It can be more or it can be less. Avoid getting trapped in such census exercise. Simply make preparations for launching a multidimensional offensive against militants.
This means that security forces have to carry out counter insurgency operations in various areas of the state simultaneously which could prevent militants from fleeing to safer places. Finish whatever number of militants are there in the state. That is key to peace. |
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