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| Gen Singh unlikely to oblige Omar by withdrawing troops | | Singh & Singh | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 10: When Gen Bikram Singh replaced Gen VK Singh as Army chief on June 1, 2010, there were reports in a section of print media, including India Today (May 14, 2012), that former might oblige elements in the Indian political establishment by endorsing the Pakistani suggestion seeking demilitarization of the strategic Siachen Glacier where the Indian Army is holding the Indian flag high since 1984. For example, the operative part of the cover story "Blood Politics On Siachen" read like this: "As his tenure inches an inglorious finale, Manmohan Singh is desperate for a peace trophy, even if it means a Siachen sellout. But he has to win his own Army first, headed by an unpredictable fighter. On June 1, the Army will have a new chief. Will Gen Bikram Singh provide the alibi that the Prime Minister needs to gift Siachen to Pakistan? There were also reports that the new Army chief might oblige Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and others of his ilk by conceding at least two of their demands: Partial revocation of AFSPA and reduction of troops in Kashmir.
Omar and others who have been demanding revocation of AFSPA and reduction in the number of troops in the Kashmir Valley today must be feeling totally upset. The reason: Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen SK Singh ruled out the possibility of any reduction of troops in Kashmir. "Pressure should remain to retain the peaceful atmosphere in the State," he said and asserted that "anti-peace elements are still active in the Valley and constant vigil is needed to maintain peace". He, in addition, contested the media reports that some battalions could be moved out from Jammu and Kashmir to the north-eastern region of the country. "The report is baseless. This is not even under consideration," he said. A couple of days ago, a Kashmir-based daily had reported that the Army could be removed from Jammu and Srinagar districts by the end of this year.
Lt Gen SK Singh made these candid statements while replying to questions put by various reporters in New Delhi. This was not important. What was important was that he made these statements in the presence of Army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who earlier said that "he has close association with the Kashmir Valley", that "the Valley is always on my mind", and that "I have shed blood there". Indeed, a very significant statement. Gen Bikram Singh belongs to Jammu. He made these statements while interacting with school children from the Valley, who had gone to meet him. They were part of their countrywide tour "Watan Ki Sair". The Army has been conducting such tours under Operation Sadbhavana for quite sometime now to bring the people closer to national mainstream.
That Lt Gen SK Singh overruled the possibility of any reduction of troops in Kashmir in the near future in the presence of Army chief Gen Bikram Singh was a clear indication that the new Army chief will not deviate from the path charted by his predecessor Gen VK Singh. In other words, Gen Bikram Singh has proved that for him security concerns are more important than anything else and this must shock those who had hoped that the new Army chief would go with them and weaken the war machine in the strategic State. |
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