Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 10: Assailing the vituperations against the forces, the former Union Minister of State and MLA, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta alleged that certain elements operating in various guises are active with a design. Their utterances are for dragging the troops in controversy, directly or indirectly.
Commenting upon the recent statements of the self styled intellectuals turned politicians and their fellow travelers regarding powers of the Army, Prof. Gupta observed that men of the forces are there in the Valley of Kashmir fighting a proxy war launched from across the border. They have made tremendous sacrifices in fighting the terrorists. They are not there on their own. It is ridiculous to plead for withdrawal of the powers of the forces especially when there is no let up in the designs of the mentors of militancy operating from across the borders/LoC
He further said to deploy or not the forces is the prerogative of the Government but to drag them in controversies and talk about wishes of the local people for their powers is quite intriguing. If there is no danger to peace and integrity of the country, the forces would not have been called in as there was no Army in the interland. They were called in when in 1989 the insurgency had assumed serious proportions, he added and maintained that when the peace would return and the Valley or the other places are cleared of the ultras, there would be no need of the presence of the forces.
About the fresh summoning of Gen. V. K. Singh, Prof. Gupta said being a senior legislator he did not favour the decision of the panel and said that in a democracy the politicians should not opt for a rigid approach.
After the explanation of the Gen. if at all anybody is to be questioned, then he should be the Defence Minister as the Army and other forces act not on their own but on the directions of the concerned Ministry which provided them funds and get audit their spendings.
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