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| Guv's R-Day greetings: No lowering of guard | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Jan 25
Armed with figures, the Governor Lt Gen (retd) SK Sinha today assured the advocates of demilitarization that troop deployment in Jammu and Kashmir is lowest than many other conflict riddles areas.
"We cannot lower our guard, whether on the borders or in the interior", was the Governor's message to the people on Republic Day. General Sinha said that the ratio of deployment of troops, Army and Para Military, to population in the State, excluding militancy free Ladakh, is 1 to 40. This is less than 1 to 37 in Wazirstan in Pakistan and 1 to 28 in Tibet. He, however, added that once peace is restored in the State and infiltration from across the border ceases, the Government and the Army, will be only too happy to return the troops deployed for internal security back to barracks. In that event reduction in the strength would be considered. However, he said, that would not apply to troops guarding our borders with Pakistan and China.
Cautioning against the challenge of terrorism, which has taken international dimensions, the Governor said that the neighbouring country has been the epi-centre of international terrorism, where from terrorism has been exported to its two neighbours. Almost all acts of terrorism across the world have Pakistan connection, and now Pakistan itself has become the worst victim of that great menace. This shows terrorism is a monster, which ultimately eats the hand that feeds it, he added
The Governor said Pakistan is not only in a web of terrorist violence but also sectarian conflict, ethnic antagonism and political instability. 'The lesson we need to learn from all this, is to fight unitedly the monster of terrorist violence and the demon of religious fanaticism. We must reinforce our faith in our rich heritage of Kashmiriyat, to successfully counter this menace', he maintained while wishing the people of Pakistan to come out of the grave crisis they were embroiled in.
We wish they overcome their present trauma and enjoy the fruits of peace, prosperity and democracy. While wishing them well, we must draw appropriate lessons from the happenings in Pakistan. Terrorism is a monster that eats the hand that feeds it. Both the USA and Pakistan sponsored international terrorism in Afghanistan, based on religious fundamentalism. It rebounded on the USA on Nine Eleven and on Pakistan in the current turmoil there. The USA has the resources and resilience to withstand the terrorist onslaught. Pakistan does not have the same capability.
The Governor lauded the valour of Security Forces in carrying out their difficult task in the State and said they have been showing immense restraint while dealing with the situation. He said that unlike helicopter gunships and artillery being freely used in Baluchistan, Wazirstan, Iraq and Afghanistan, there has not been a single instance of the use of such weapons in Jammu and Kashmir. He also referred to the safe passage and rescue of devotees held hostage by militants in a mosque in Kulgam village without any damage to the mosque. Almost at the same time on the holy day of Eid, terrorists attacked a mosque at Sherpao village in NWFP killing 54 people and damaging the mosque. Terrorists have also been attacking and damaging holy shrines in our State, notably Chrar-e-Sharief and Raghunath Temple. This shows how anti-religion they have been, though they claim to be Jehadis. Not only that, they have also been slitting throats of innocent civilians including in one case of a child, four and a half years old. Even a hard core separatist leader and their arch supporter, has condemned such barbaric acts as un-Islamic, he said. |
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