Kashmir must reverse to pre-1989, all must live in harmony: Army chief General Bipin Rawat

ALSO READ: Our aim is that J&K reverses to the pre-1989 situation where all people live in harmony”

Responding to a query from The Indian Express, the Army chief said “in 1989, a proxy war was launched in Kashmir. Secular credentials of our country were targeted and people were moved out of the state. Our aim is that J&K reverses to the pre-1989 situation where all people live in harmony.”

He said the nature of proxy war in Kashmir has changed and educated people have taken to the gun. The insurgency was more urban in nature, which means that the security forces need to identify the centre of gravity of the insurgency. This, he said, needs to be tackled at multiple levels, including targeting the people who carry out indoctrination. He said the Army Northern Command was focused on this aspect and was undertaking “psychological warfare and perception management” in the state.

General Rawat said the recent terror strikes on military camps in Uri and Nagrota cannot push the armed forces into a “fort mentality” where they commit even more troops as sentry guards of camps. Instead of relying excessively on human factor for security, he said the Army will bring in more technology for the security of its camps.

He acknowledged that there has been relative peace along the Line of Control (LoC) after the two Directors General of Military Operations spoke on November 23. From this year, he said the Army is also prepared to foil infiltration across the LoC during winter as well.

The Army chief declined to comment on the mileage being drawn by political parties from the surgical strikes carried out by the Army across the LoC. He said the Army had undertaken the action as per orders of the government.

On Sepoy Chandu Chavan, who had crossed over to the Pakistani side after the surgical strike, General Rawat said that the Pakistan Army has assured that the soldier is in their country. He said there are certain additional formalities involved in the repatriation procedure of soldiers and the Ministry of External Affairs has now been involved in the process.

Dismissing the controversy over his use of the term “Cold Start”, the Army chief said that future wars will be short and the armed forces will have to be prepared to move quickly. His intention was to send a message to the rank and file to be prepared for future combat. He also announced a new system of redressal grievance where the Army chief’s redressal and grievance box will be placed at various headquarters. This will immediately start from the Army headquarters, and later taken to command headquarters and lower formations.
Under this system, any soldier will be able to drop his complaint in the box which will be personally monitored by the secretariat of the Army chief. Although no anonymous complaint will be accepted, the identity of the complainant will be kept a secret.

General Rawat dwelt at length on the Sahayak system in the Army and its need. He said that a proposal has been sent to the government where a civilian help in lieu of the uniformed soldier can be provided to Army officers posted in Army headquarters, area headquarters and other units which do not mobilise for war.