Several former militants, and some of their children, are successful citizens today. Do you look upon this as a unique achievement?Not at all. Children are never looked upon as similar to their fathers. They lead normal lives because one’s background is no hindrance to acceptance in Indian society.Does this say a lot about Indian democracy?It says a lot about Indian society, not Indian democracy. As a society we are very forgiving. One should not take the ‘normal’ status of these people at face value.But are there any instances like this elsewhere in the world?One could study the children of the IRA and separatist movements in Spain. However, terrorism in Europe does not have a mass base, unlike in India.Punjab is perhaps the only state in the world where militancy has been contained. Why has this not happened in other affected parts of the country?It has not just been contained in Punjab, it has been finished completely. This has not been possible in other parts of the country because there are too many cooks involved.How different were the strategies used in Punjab and in the North-East? How far were they influenced by the varying political profiles of the two places?The terrain was a primary difference. There were few sanctuaries in Punjab, so it was hard for militants to hide. In the North-East, though, there were dense forests and low population. So the strategies to tackle militancy were slightly different.Also, talks helped achieve breakthroughs in Assam and Mizoram, they did not work in Punjab because the militancy had fewer political linkages. It is easier to work where the political direction is involved, like in Assam.What about rehabilitation in Punjab and the North-East?Rehabilitation did not work. There are claims that the SULFA still works as an extortionist organisation. The idea has been rejected.What do you feel about our strategy in combating militancy in Jammu and Kashmir?The government will always remain only partially successful with its current approach. My approach is: be absolutely brutal with foreign mercenaries and forgiving towards local terrorists.
