Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 19: Northern Army Commander, Lt General DS Hooda today said that there is no such situation in Kashmir that Army will take over but they would provide assistance to security forces and police in securing the highways and district roads in order to ensure movement of vehicular traffic during the day. He said that the beating of civilians by Army has no sanction and it won’t be tolerated.
“This will instill a sense of normalcy. Law and order is dealt with by the police and CRPF. We will provide whatever assistance in terms of reinforcement at police stations where the number of police personnel is low,” said Lt Gen Hooda to a news conference here this afternoon.
He said that Army will help in road domination so that there is traffic on them as it gives sense of normalcy. “Sanitization of road and tracks, we use word dominate. Yes decision has been taken that you know movement on main highways and district roads will commence and we are going to do that and that itself brings a sense of normalcy. One reason we are hearing that the Government employees can’t go to offices, teachers can’t go to schools as there is no movement during the day. So we are trying to ensure movement by day”, he said.
The GOC Northern Command said that there is no such situation that Army will take over but it will provide assistance to Police and CRPF. “Although, largely law and order is being handled by the CRPF and Police and not by the Army, we are providing the assistance, whatever is required. So there is need for some more additional troops to come on the roads. If at certain places, police stations have low strength and we will ensure those areas are reinforced. Yes, wherever assistance is needed it will be provided. There is no such situation that Army will take over”, he said.
Lt General Hooda said that there is a chance that the Army may confront the protesters on the roads and it will deal accordingly as per the situation. “CRPF is there, police is there and army is there. See there is a procedure for clearance of highways, road opening patrols and area domination patrols. Yes there is a chance you will confront with the protesters and we will deal with it when such situation arises. It is premature to say that so and so action will be taken when Army meets some protesting crowds”, he said.
When asked about the killing of a man in Pampore area of South Kashmir and beating up of scores of people in the area, the Army Commander said it won’t be tolerated. “We have ordered an inquiry. These actions are absolutely not sanctioned. And these actions are absolutely not tolerated”, he said.
Lt Gen Hooda said that these raids are not sanctioned by Anyone. He said that army is a disciplined force and nobody sanctions any kind of violence against civilians. “Let me tell you what happened when the person was killed in the beating by Army personnel? It is unjustified. Nobody can support this. And there is absolutely no sanction for these kinds of actions. Let me put that very clearly”, he added.
The Army Commander said that they have given clear instructions of maximum restraint and made it clear that responsibility of de-escalation of tension lies on the other side as well. “Instructions are there to exercise restraint and make sure that the incident that happened does not happen. It is only feeding whole frenzy of violence again and protests. These are difficult times. You know the Police and CRPF which on the front at law and order is facing very tough situations. Sometimes things at the heat of the movement do go out of hand. But as a policy our instructions are very clear and it is same with the Police that instructions are clear to exercise restraint. But there is other element which also needs to look into this. And let us not encourage and motivate people to go with stones and attack police parties and at operating bases. The responsibility is on all sides to see how we can de-escalate this”, he added.
The GOC Northern Command said that for the past few days situation has stabilized. “In the initial few days there was much more quantum of protests and all that took place and thereafter we have seen high level of protests are actually happening on Fridays. And over 3-4 days thing have calmed down and unfortunately you have an incident and it leads to another. And everyone needs to step back a little and see what we can do”, he said.
Lt Gen Hooda appealed for calm, saying “everyone needs to step back” and sit together to find a way forward. “More than 40 days of this whole cycle and from this nobody is going to get unhurt. Everybody is hurt. Whether it is child who can’t go to the school or young man who is in the hospital or Government employees, traders, government officials or police and security forces who are facing this stone throwing violent mob. My appeal to everyone is for calm and we have to sit down and put our heads together and see if we can find an end to it. It is not easy. The situation is difficult and I think there s nothing else which is the need of the hour. So everybody who is in anyway involved in J&K needs to introspect and see what we can do to stop it”, he said.
“It is a statement of facts because everybody is involved whether it is security forces whether it is separatists, Governments, students leaders etc. My appeal is to everyone. We need to find a way forward from this. It is not one person or one organization which can do this”, said the GOC.
Army Commander said that the protest calendar issued by the separatists is encouraging violence on streets and it needs to be found where from it comes.
“I think everybody needs to come together. It is not for me to suggest or military to suggest so and so. These are things that frankly have to happen at other level. Yes, I am saying everybody needs to come. After all wherefrom this protest calendar is coming; everyday everyday. This is also encouraging what is happening on the streets”, he said.
The GOC Northern Command said that everyone is worried about the violence in Kashmir and the issues need to be sorted out. “It is not only me, everybody is worried, the Government at the Centre and State Government, whether it is a common man or security forces. Everyone is worried about this whole cycle of violence. Unfortunately there are no easy answers. It has to be dealt at various levels. How to engage the youth, what to do with various political groupings. How much will development play a role in normalization of situation? There are number of issues which when we sit down and sort it out”, he added.
Lt Gen Hooda said that the Army is more concerned with internal situation and borders are secure and there has been no significant rise in infiltration. “We are more considered about the internal situation. As far as borders are concerned they continue to remain secured even during this internal problems we have not pulled out single soldier from the borders and nor has there been any significant increase (infiltration) that has taken place at the borders. We are confident that the posture on the border. We recently foiled an infiltration bid at Uri and 5 terrorists were killed and we are confident about posture on the borders”, he said.
The Army Commander said that counter-insurgency operations of the security forces in South Kashmir got affected by unrest but assured that they are being re-started soon. “Yes when the civil disturbance came, the counter terrorism operations go affected but it may be in areas of South Kashmir and a deliberate and considered decision has been taken that where there are terrorists we will go after them and that is going to start earnestly. It is not that it was suspended, in North Kashmir you see counter terrorist operations have been conducted, Bahadur Ali was caught and 4 terrorists were killed along the LoC. South Kashmir we are starting. It is a matter of coincidence”, he said.
Lt Gen Hooda said that killing of Burhan Wani was no staged encounter. “It was not a staged encounter. And specific input about Burhan Wani was not there”, he said.
The Army Commander said that he doesn’t see the militancy situation going out of hand. “Militants will always try to do upsurge in violence and that is what they aim to do. I think our posture is OK and our intelligence is alright. We should be able to deal with it. I don’t see militant situation going out of hand seriously”, he said.
Lt Gen Hooda said that earlier during the day he met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor NN Vohra and discussed the security situation of Kashmir with them. “We discussed the current situation and what are ways and means to (normalize it)… In think everybody understands that the situation is not OK and it needs, you know some sort of calm needs to be restored”, he added.
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