Case against men in olive green sends wrong signal
inquiry be held.
FIGHTING ON TWO FRONTS
Troops have a difficult task in the Kashmir Valley where the population is generally alienated from the rest of the country, and the political class is ever ready to exploit the local sentiment to their advantage. Add to it the uninterrupted attempts by Pakistan to keep the pot on the boil, and you have a difficult situation at hand. The Indian Army is fighting on two fronts in Jammu and Kashmir—one on the Line of Control against Pakistan’s attempts to push terrorists across while initiating military actions, and the second against infiltrators, local terrorists, and stonepelters.
It is the Indian government’s failure to resolve long-pending issues, which is feeding this anti-national atmosphere. Its penchant for pampering the population through faulty policies is also responsible for the current state of affairs. The recent amnesty offered to stone-pelters only encourages them and others to indulge in antinational activities. The fact is that these stone-pelting protesters interfere with the security forces while they are engaging with terrorists. It is a serious violation of law and calls for stringent legal
action, not amnesty.
POLITICAL PRESSURE Political expediency, poor administration, weak-kneed policies of the central government, and failure to come to grips with the root causes of this insurgency, are the underlying factors behind the present turmoil. The inability of the administration to instill the fear of law amongst the local population, rampant corruption, and exploitation of anti-national sentiments by the political class continues to muddy the waters. It was the complete breakdown of law and order that resulted in the exodus of Pandits from the Valley, with the central government remaining a mute spectator.
With the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in operation in J&K, the police must have filed an FIR against the army personnel under political pressure. But this action sends a wrong message. The day terrorists can snatch weapons from soldiers or destroy their property with impunity, it will be time for the army to retire to the barracks and let terrorists run riot. India can then conveniently forget J&K.