Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has asked the Army commanders to wean away the youths in Kashmir from the gun culture and violence and encourage them to join the mainstream.
During her first visit to Jammu and Kashmir as the Defence Minister, Sitharaman visited some forward posts along the Line of Control in Kupwara sector. She was accompanied by the Amy Chief and other top Army officers.
She was briefed about the security situation by the Army commanders. After holding an important top level meeting with the Army commanders in Badami Bagh Contoment, she visited the Raj Bhawan where she held a detailed meeting with Governor N.N. Vohra. An official spokesman of the government said that she held a detailed discussion with J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday.
Sitharaman also visited Ladakh on Saturday and held a high level meeting to get a feedback about the preparedness of the Army to deal with Chinese incursions. During her stay in Ladakh she visited the Siachen glacier, the world’s highest and coldest battle field where India and Pakistani Armies face each other.
She was briefed about the security situation on the forward posts in the Ladakh region and was told how the Army was prepared to deal with any incursion either from Pakistan or China in the Ladakh region.
During her visit, the Defence Minister was accompanied by the Chief of the Army Staff General Bipan Rawat, General Officer Commander-in-Chief, Northern Command Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu and Corps Commander of the Ladakh Corps, besides many other Army commanders.
Sitharaman also inaugurated a bridge on the river Shyok Gong on the road between Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldi, the area where the Chinese army has tried many incursions in the past. The Army spokesman said that the visiting Defence Minister also held a detailed interaction with the Indian Air Force officers in the Ladakh region.