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Behave or face action, Gen Rawat

Shuchismita. Dated: 11/13/2018 11:57:55 AM

‘Interlocutors, not head of the state, hold dialogue’

MAMUN MILITARY STATION (PATHANKOT), Nov 12: The Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat Monday minced no words in stating that “tit for tat” policy in case of Pakistan and “muscular policy” in case of “local terrorists and civilians disrupting security forces’ anti-insurgency operations in the Valley” to continue if they did not behave.
He, however, maintained that they had to keep changing the policy to remain always ahead of the adversary. With regard to action on the border and sniping incidents on the border, he stated that sniping was a regular affair and Pak “does not take the initiative. Whenever it’s doing something, it’s a reaction to something.”
General Rawat was interacting with media after inaugurating two-day `Samman Samaroh’ for the “Disabled Soldier in Line of Duty” organised by Gurj Division under the aegis of Western Command at Mamun Military Station.
With regard to demands for dialogue, amid ongoing violence both on the internal and external fronts, by mainstream politicians, he wondered why these demands were being made when the dialogue was already going on. “Everywhere we’re talking through interlocutors, but to say that Head of the State will come and talk to these terrorists. I don’t think this is going to happen,” Gen Rawat said.
POLICY TOWARDS PAKISTAN: When asked as whether ‘tit for tat’ policy with Pakistan was really paying off in the wake of loss of an equal number of Indian soldiers, he said, “We’ve to keep changing the policy. You cannot keep adopting a policy which you keep repeating. Because the other side also understands your policy and they start looking at something different. So the policies have to be reviewed and we’ve to always remain ahead of adversaries. As far as the adversary (Pak) is concerned, it’s not just ‘tit for tat’ it has to be more than that. And that’s what we’re continuously engaging the adversary.”
“See what we’re doing, we don’t tell. There’s lot happening from our side also, but we don’t want to blow a trumpet unnecessarily. Whenever he (adversary) is doing something, it’s a reaction to something, he does not take the initiative. He also knows that we’re strong and we can take very strong action. But in his case, what he has got terrorists whom he keeps sending across. Some of them come to cause damage to our soldiers, some of them want to reach the hinterland and cause damage in the hinterland. But ultimately what it is leading to - violence against the people. Kashmiri people are our people. We’ve to look after them. Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh – it’s all one region of the country and we cannot allow violence to prosper in these areas. So we’ve to take action accordingly,” he added.
MUSCULAR POLICY IN VALLEY: Responding to a query about ‘muscular policy’ being followed in the Valley against local militants and civilians gathered around encounter sites, Gen Rawat said that the attempts were being made to discourage youth from joining militant ranks. But if they did not behave, the only element was to neutralize them.
“So whatever we’re doing, in the Valley, our basic aim is to first ensure that young boys don’t join militancy. So the first step is to focus on them and tell them that – ‘It’s not worth joining militancy because you will not live long.’ And then those who’ve joined militancy, we’re trying to approach the families to tell them that – we’ll still give you an opportunity if you can come out of insurgency and surrender and forget gun because you’ll not live long. But if the people don’t behave and continue with the violence, then only element left is to neutralize them,” he said.
ON RECURRENT SNIPING INCIDENTS ON LOC: When queried about recurrent sniping incidents on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region resulting in fatal casualties in Rajouri recently and inputs about deployment of sharp shooters by Pakistan on the borders for the purpose, the Army Chief said, “Sniping has been a regular affair. It’s nothing news in this. The Pakistani army has got snipers and we’ve got snipers. So whenever you get an opportunity and you find there’s little bit of exposure by any soldier anywhere, sniping will happen. So we’ve to ensure that our drills are good and we don’t give them an opportunity. We also have our snipers ready to snipe a dip. And why the snipers, we should be able to hit them harder.”
ON DIALOGUE AMID DEATHS OF SOLDIERS ON BORDERS: Responding to a question on demands for dialogue from mainstream leaders amid persisting violence on internal and external fronts, he said, “See if you look at the government policy, we’ve got a very clear cut policy that we won’t allow the terrorists to create violence in our society. Therefore anybody, who creates violence, will be neutralized. At the same time, an interlocutor has been tasked by the government to speak to various people in the Valley. So I don’t understand what we’re trying to say.”
“There’s an interlocutor. Mr (Dineshwar) Sharma is moving around talking to people. He’s saying I’m open to everybody. Anybody who wants to speak to me, come and talk to me. So I don’t understand who says that talks are not going on. Mr Sharma is the government interlocutor to talk to these people. If they don’t want to listen to him and don’t want to approach him then I don’t know where further we can go. So we’re doing indirect talks to see, to approach the stakeholders to send a clear message to them but to say that Head of the State will come and talk to these terrorists. I don’t think this is going to happen. Everywhere we’re talking through the interlocutors. For example, in North East also, talks are being held through interlocutors. Mr Ravi is an interlocutor with Naga insurgents and Mr Sharma is an interlocutor with all the groups in J&K. so what makes us think that necessary action by the government is not being taken to bring people into the mainstream,” he added.
ON PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS: When queried about the measures to take on militant attempts to scuttle democratic process through violence, Gen Rawat said, “We should wait for the result of elections. You see the manner in which people will come out. These people are only trying to disrupt a democratic process. We’re a proud democracy and we believe in governance through democracy.”
“We’re also trying to make sure that our democratic institutions function through grassroot level like Panchayati Raj and all those institutions are being favoured by the government, propagated by the government. That’s where actually the democracy should begin but these people are going to protest, forcefully prevent people from voting but let me tell you the people will come out to vote in large number,” he said.
ON RADICALISATION: The Army Chief stressed the role of media in containing spread of radicalization. He said that radicalization was happening more because of misinformation and disinformation.
“The youth are being fed on all the wrong kinds of news, information. So on this account, media has a major role to play that you come out with the truth and let the people know what’s happening and not support the terrorists. Because every time an action takes place, terrorists are looking at media support. And if you are giving them the kind of mileage they are looking at, they get emboldened. So we need lot of media support so that the radicalization does not gain much propaganda and whatever terrorists are doing, they don’t get mileage through media,” Gen Rawat said.
ON INFILTRATION AND NUMBER OF MILITANTS ON LAUNCH PADS ACROSS THE BORDER: Gen Rawat said that the number of militants on launch pads across the border did not matter. “What matter is how many militants have managed to successfully enter our side. Our effort is to minimize infiltration and we’ve been successful to a greater extent. In fact, majority of the terrorists operating here are local terrorists, who are not even trained. They have been recruited as terrorists after being radicalized through disinformation. Since they’re not trained, they get eliminated in few days or few months. It’s better if they realize that they are being used just as cannon-fodder. It’s better to shun violence and come above the ground and join mainstream, there will be peace in the Valley, there will be development. There will be more jobs. Everything they are looking for, will come if the peace comes in the Valley,” he said.
Gen Rawat said that launch pads were active across the border and their (Pak’s) emphasis was on infiltration before the winter set in. “Thus this is the time when we’ll see rise in infiltration attempts. But our force is alert and ready to fail their attempts. Because it is better to neutralize them on the border as if they succeed in infiltrating, they’ll create more havoc,” he said.
“I won’t tell you what we’re doing but a lot is being done. You would’ve never seen this kind of retaliation ever before,” the Chief of Army Staff said when asked about Pak threats of conducting ten surgical strikes if India attempts one again.
The Army Chief said that the action would be taken against those pushing youth to militancy in the Valley after properly identifying those elements.
Regarding attempts to revive militancy in Punjab, Gen Rawat said that the union government was taking full action against external forces trying to revive insurgency in Punjab. “Punjab Chief Minister is concerned and taking direct action so the violence doesn’t spread again. Outsiders will attempt but the people of Punjab will not let them do it. They (people) will quell these attempts,” Gen Rawat
said. “Situation is under control in Punjab. But it’s better to be alert,” he responded to another related question.
On account of Arunachal dispute, Gen Rawat assured that action would be taken against army jawans, if found guilty.