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| It's time to strengthen war machine | | Gen Prakash On K Situation | | Neha
Jammu, July 18: The prevailing security environment in Kashmir is "alarming". It is none other than General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Om Prakash, who has drawn the attention to the situation as it has been developing in Kashmir valley over the period. Valley, which constitutes about 4 per cent of the State's geographical area, is the real trouble-spot and hub of separatist and communal activities, with elements in the establishment also doing their best to add to the Indian difficulties. It has become difficult to distinguish between extremists/separatists and certain elements in the establishment. This is the major problem.
Lt Gen Prakash yesterday expressed the view that the "complete withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from the troubled Afghanistan" by 2014 would only help "inimical forces to exploit the vacant space" and this could culminate in some "disastrous consequences in the region, including Kashmir". He expressed these views while talking to reporters at Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar. This was his first ever interaction with reporters after he took over as GoC of the strategically crucial Chinar Corps last month. He replaced Lt Gen Hasnain whose tenure in Kashmir would always be remembered as controversial. He had made several statements in Kashmir which had strengthened those who termed, and continue to term, "Kashmir a political problem that needed a political solution" (read segregation from Indian Constitutional framework).
Lt Gen Prakash's reflections on the situation as it exists in Kashmir and on the other side of the border and Line of Control were both candid and alarming. There was no ambiguity in what he said during his interaction with reporters. He spoke like a true and genuine General speaks.
Lt Gen Prakash, inter-alia, said: "Reduced military activities would provide space for the militants to operate; they would exploit the vacant space. Though Army has reduced its activities in South Kashmir, militants have off late started using the space by mounting attacks, killings of policemen and Army personnel, hurling grenades and issuing threats against panches and sarpanches. It is happening because the Army slowed down the pace of operations. This allowed them to exploit the space and they started operating. They (Army) are getting intelligence inputs suggesting that militants on ground have been asked to step up their activities and launch fidayeen attacks. The withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan should not be abrupt. Who will fill the vacuum? It will be catastrophic for Afghanistan and Kashmir as well as was the case in 2001. It can be worse than that. We do not want a total vacuum there otherwise inimical forces would occupy it and its ripples are bound to be felt in all the regions surrounding Afghanistan. In the year 2000, troops killed 2000 militants in Kashmir. Currently the number of militants has been reduced to 280 to 300. Lashkar-e-Toiba is recruiting local militants. The militant outfit is doing it to give their activities indigenous colour. The foreign militants usually represented the terror outfit. It was blamed as foreign outfit. But now they want to make it local. 'Reasonable' peace is prevailing in Kashmir, but the militant infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir is in place to push the militants across the border. 550 to 600 militants are waiting at the launching pads in PoK. And they are carrying out a sustained reconnaissance from past few months to cross over. There have been attempts to infiltrate, but most of them have failed. It is difficult to plug infiltration fully because the terrain is such that there is a possibility of some successful infiltrations. Army is not thinking of any hot pursuit against militants in PoK at this time since both the forces are guarding the border eyeball-to-eyeball. That thing could have international ramification as well. We would prefer to kill militants inside Kashmir rather than chase them by hot pursuits".
If one goes by what Lt Gen Prakash, who is man on the spot, said, then one can without any hesitation say that the prevailing security scenario is indeed highly alarming and that any laxity on the part of the State would only help the inimical forces to create in Kashmir situation worse than what it prevailed in 1990. What he said needs to be appreciated, particularly those dealing with internal and external security, as also those managing foreign affairs. Three things are urgently needed. One, the war machine in the sensitive border State of Jammu & Kashmir should be strengthened with sophisticated weaponry. Two, the number of troops must be increased substantially. Three, the Army must be given a free hand to deal with the situation. Besides, those elements in the establishment who are directly or indirectly helping the militants' anti-India cause have to be reined in.
Army seems to be in no mood to go for reduction of troops in Kashmir in near future with one of its senior officers terming the situation in the Valley as alarming and claiming that reduced military activities would provide free space for militants to operate.
Responding to the query about the prospects of troop reduction, the GOC recently had said, two policemen and an Army man were killed while one was left critically injured by militants in South Kashmir.
He said the regional powers are trying to ensure stable Afghanistan and mechanisms are being worked out to retain troops there. |
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