Attack worse than Uri, India will have to act, say experts

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) – the highest decision-making body on security chaired by the Prime Minister – will meet on Friday morning to discuss India’s response to the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir in which 44 soldiers were killed.

Heavily armed Indian commandos crossed the Line of Control (LOC) and carried out a coordinated raid hitting terror camps collated with Pakistani Army establishment – commonly known as surgical strikes -- after 18 Indian soldiers were killed in the Uri Brigade headquarters attack in 2016. Similarly, in 2015 when rebels in Manipur ambushed an Indian army convoy, Indian commandos crossed into Myanmar and destroyed militant camps.

“This is much bigger than the Uri Brigade headquarters attack. No terror organisation claimed responsibility for the Uri attack. Now, however, a Pakistan based terror organisation – the Jaish-emohammed [JEM] – has taken responsibility for this attack. Pakistan will be under pressure, but my hunch is that New Delhi will have to act and retaliate. What will be the form and shape of the retaliation will be the prerogative of the government,” former Northern Army Commander, General DS Hooda, said.

General Hooda played a role in the surgical strikes that followed the Uri attack.

“Pakistan hasn’t not stopped infiltration or funding terror organizations, Ceasefire violations too have gone up. India’s response will take all this into account and also the internal situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” General Hooda added.

Others experts agreed with Hooda. “We should not respond in hurry. We need to look at how our convoys are moving and whether we need to rework our quick-reaction teams. And, also devise a response to this emerging threat of vehicles being used for suicide bombing,” Former Western Army Commander, Genenral K J Singh said. “Our response should be at time and place of our choosing. Decisionmakers should not come under pressure from either media or social media. The retribution/ retaliation should be firm and with minimum noise,” General Singh added.