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| Forces worried over demilitarisation indications | | |
NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Jammu, July 19: With some covert indications from New Delhi about the possibility of some troop reduction in Jammu and Kashmir in near future, the security officers are nursing resentment against any such move on the political grounds.
"It will be like a bigger Kargil in making if troops are withdrawn before situation normalises completely", an Army officer who did not wish to be named told EARLY TIMES. He added that though three committees are working to analyse the ground situation but what emerges from the reports emanating out of New Delhi suggests that a possibility of troop reduction in the Kashmir Valley is not ruled out.
The mistake will be irreversible. Eventually Indian Army will have to fight a much larger ''Kargil'' at the expense of thousands of Indian soldiers, said a security expert who is keenly monitoring the situation.
Reports suggest that the politics of demiliatrisation or even redeployment of troops is getting murkier by the day. Everybody who is anybody out there in New Delhi would like to come all the way here to ''assess'' the situation but not reveal its immediate purpose.
This ostrich-like approach towards a sensitive issue is generating cynicism at the popular level.
Another officer of a paramilitary force said, "on the one hand it points to the undesirable effects of political insensitivity over an issue of great public significance and, on the other, its impact on the morale of the forces is quite debilitating". The upward trend of stress-related killings within the rank and file is causing concern in higher echelons. But, unfortunately, there is precious little evidence of tackling its root cause.
The Defence Minister AK Antony is visiting Kashmir later this month. Defence secretary was in the state recently on a detailed visit. Union home minister too had come earlier this month. So was the union home secretary last month. We are told that they all came, or are coming, here to ''assess'' the situation. Nobody would, however, tell us its immediate purpose. The Prime Minister has set up three official groups to deal with the underlying issue.
Still, there is an inexplicable conspiracy of silence over the outcome of this elaborate exercise. Even the mere mention of the word ''demilitarisation/ redeployment/ reduction'' of troops, in proportion to officially acknowledged ''improvement'' in the ground situation, is becoming anathema to those whose business it is to respond and act. The net result is that the scanty benefits of the people-oriented confidence building measures are beginning to disappear.
In sync with the oft repeated statements of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, some officers who spoke to the EARLY TIMES favoured that the troop strength should be kept intact till full normalcy returns. They were unanimous in the opinion that taking advantage of the ceasefire prevailing on the Line of Control and International Border Pakistan is building up strength on the other side and in the event of downsizing of troop strength in the interiors the security of the people will be at risk.
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