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| Are troops not covered by "to err is human" adage? | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 16: Those who are fully aware of the border terrain in north Kashmir, which is dotted with ravines, thick forests, verdant slopes, mountain ranges, do not support those who dub the recent Army operation for fluhsing out militants in Keran sector as a "drama". And one among those who blame the Army for "enacting a drama" by claiming to have carried out operation against a group of militants having crossed into Kashmir from across Keran sector is none other than the volatile and vocal Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal, Additional General Secretary of the ruling National Conference.
Kamaal has the distinction of commenting on all political, economic, social and security related issues because he relishes being in the midst of a controversy. He enjoys triggering a controversy even if that meant going against the ideology and policy of the National Conference. And the way he has described the Army operation against militants in Keran sector in August last as a "drama" leaves a bad taste in the mouth of those who are fully aware of the difficult border belt on this side of the LoC in Kashmir.
Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal said the concern expressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Union Defence Ministry over the 'fake intrusion' claims of the Army in Keran sector has made it clear that the troops enacted a drama "as there is no evidence on ground to suggest any infiltration bid by militants."
"There is no dearth of hate and war mongers in Army and it is always their agenda to keep the Line of Control (LoC) in the line of fire," Kamaal has said He said the Army should realize that by indulging in fake encounters and enacting dramas of intrusions like they one staged in Keran, the troops are harming their own country "as their juvenile and cowardly acts will only internationalize the Kashmir issue."
The NC leader has said the whole country has now come to know about the motives and designs of Army as their claim on Keran infiltration has been belied at the highest levels in the Government of India.
He said if by "inciting" LoC flare-ups the Army intends to prepare a ground for war with Pakistan and wants to intrude into Pakistan administered Kashmir, then; "I am sorry to say that it would be the biggest blunder on part of India. Any intrusion or attack on Pakistan administered Kashmir would give UN an ample chance to intervene.
Yes various intelligence agencies have not supported the Army in its claim that a group of militants had sneaked into the border belt from across Keran and these infiltrators had been encircled in Shalabatu village. The Army had carried out a major anti-infiltration operation in Shalabatu village but there was no trace of 30 militants. However, probe by the intelligence agencies had confirmed that infiltration had taken place from across the LoC in two villages adjoining Shalabatu hamlet. And the Army had killed about six infiltrators.
It seems that the intelligence agencies besides Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal had ruled out the possibility of infiltrators having given a slip to the Army and could have escaped the Army cordon. Escaping the Army cordon is not something impossible for militants because laying a cordon in a village dotted with ravines, thick forest slopes remain a bit porous. Hence militants may have either sneaked into some adjoining villages or gone back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir soon after they came to know that the Army was preparing for laying the cordon.
Possibly Kamaal is not aware of the time that the Army or any other security agency can take in laying the cordon. Laying the cordon is totally different from shooting down infiltrators while they try to cross the zero line.
Its beyond one's imagination that the Indian troops, guarding the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, will enact "drama" on the border to invite international intervention for settling the Kashmir issue. Such ideas can be the product of either innate brilliance of ideas or the result of perversion.
Troops operate on the border under severe tension. And one should not deny to them the right to err. It is permissible as long as Country's integrity and safety are not endangered. Kamaal has the right to comment on issues as well as non-issues but his comments need not cross all the limits of reality and decency. He needs to learn that troops too are covered under "to err is human" adage. |
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