J&K has a long border with two neighbouring countries of China and Pakistan both of which are unfriendly and hostile to us. Both of them have their specific strategy of vitiating atmosphere on the border that necessitates sensitized vigil along the LAC, LoC and the International Border. If relations are normal, only a small check post on the border is sufficient to manage things. But relations are not that smooth, we have to deploy security force commensurate with the type of deployment made by our neighbours.
As we know Pakistan has adopted very hostile attitude. Previously her troop opened unprovoked firing at selected points along LoC under the pretext that they were retaliating in self defence. But for quite some time, Pakistan has widened the range of targets on which her troops open fire with small arms as well as with mortar making the situation very tense. In particular for last one year or more, Pakistan has begun targeting civilian population on our side living close to the border. In this way the civilian population has become their target. The purpose of Pakistan is to disrupt normal life of civilians and thus bring the Government under pressure. Another aim is to scare the civilian population living close to the border so that Pakistan can send the saboteurs and terrorists across the border safely to indulge n subversive activities. After Pakistan’s accelerated firing and shelling across LoC as well as International Border in RS Pura, Arnia, Hiranagar, Samba, Kanachak and Pargwal etc. and also in Poonch and Rajouri sectors, many innocent civilians on our side of the border were killed and wounded. Though at many habitats close to the border our villagers have dug bunkers to save themselves from unprovoked shelling and firing from Pakistan, yet many a time they are caught unawares and suffer fatalities.
It is the responsibility of the Government to come to the help of the affected families. The State Government has an Act according to which each fatality is compensated with one lakh rupees for the killed person’s family and each wounded person is to get five thousand rupees by way of ex-gratia assistance plus government employment for one eligible person of the affected family. The question of Central Government also extending financial support by way of compensating to the affected families was under the consideration of the UPA Government but no decision was taken. Now, the Union Home Ministry has addressed the issue in all seriousness and the new proposal is that rupees five lakh be sanctioned in favour of the next of kin of the killed person as a result of enemy shelling and firing and rupees fifty thousand to each wounded person. This is a highly appreciable step besides a strong incentive to the border dwellers that are showing great courage and fortitude in staying on at their ancestral places. It is just possible that the Home Ministry may consider payment of compensating to the deserving in retrospect. The revised compensation figures under the consideration of the Union Home Ministry will be in addition to the ex-gratia support normally given by the State Government.
Knowing that Pakistan has a long and intensive programme of continuing hostilities with India, we presume that border firing and shelling and infiltration activities along the LoC as well as IB will continue for a long time. We don’t see early end to hostilities. Therefore, we have to have a long term plan of border security say at least for half a century. Consequently we need a permanent border security policy and the grant of compensation that is on the anvil is one of those preparations.
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