Pak aiding infiltration into J-K: Army Chief

However,he said,the security forces would tackle such attempts and ensure peace and stability in the border state that has faced insurgency for the last two decades.

“But we are quite sure the security forces would be able to take care of any such attempts at infiltration and ensure a degree of peace and stability in the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir as has been the trend in the year and half or two years,” he said.

When asked to comment on the ‘unprecedented’ advice from the Defence Ministry to him on the Sukna land scam episode,asking him to initiate disciplinary proceedings against then Military Secretary Lt Gen Avadesh Prakash,Kapoor refused to be drawn into a controversy,saying,”We will leave it,it is not the appropriate moment to talk about that.”

To a query on his advice to his successor Lt Gen V K Singh,Kapoor,who retires today after nearly four decades of service,said all Army Chiefs were “mature” and expressed the hope that Singh too would continue to follow the policies for the good of the Army and the nation.

“All army chiefs are mature and so is my successor. I have no doubt that he will follow policies for the good of the army and the nation,” he said.

He felt “no shortfall” during his tenure as the Army Chief,Kapoor said,adding plans initiated during his term at the helm of the world’s second largest Army would continue and be completed during his successors’ time.

“There is no shortfall. During every Army Chief’s tenure there are plans that are started and it is not necessary that they are completed within the tenure. The Chief of Army Staff post is occupied only for a short time,but the policies and the directions continue always and accordingly the projects started during my tenure will continue and be completed.

“It will go on this way,” Kapoor said.

Kapoor said he was handing over the charge as Army Chief to Singh after heading the 1.13 million-strong force for two-and-half years and that he was doing so with “a degree of satisfaction.”

“I have no doubt that Army will continue to perform well. Army will try to sustain the image that the Indian nation holds for it. It is a difficult task,but I have no doubt that like in the past the Army will continue to perform well as always,” he added.

“The legacy I leave behind is for the nation and you all to judge. It is not for me to judge. It is for all of you to come to a conclusion,” he noted.