Taking cognisance of alarming activities aimed at destabilising several border states of the country, the Centre is preparing an extensive strategy to counter the situation. The action plan is likely to be put into operation soon after the results of the present round of Assembly elections are announced on 11 March. To commence with, a massive exercise may be initiated in Jammu and Kashmir to cope with rising militancy inspired by pro Pakistan elements, who are responsible for targeting our security forces. A rather stern view is understood to have been taken to contain Islamist radicalisation and terrorism. The Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat’s warning to militants and their overground supporters is perhaps the first indication of the changed attitude and approach within the country’s security establishment.
What has become a matter of intense concern is that the possibility is not completely ruled out of certain political players belonging to political organisations being involved in these attempts at fomenting trouble in these states. Indian intelligence agencies have been keeping a close watch on the developments taking place in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh and some other regions as well and are trying to ascertain whether the pattern that was emerging was purely coincidental or externally engineered.
However, taking no chances, the Centre is going ahead with a blueprint, which could involve coercive use of force against those who were either abetting or facilitating terrorism. There is a varied strategy for each of the states—the unfolding of which will come to fore in due course. In Kashmir, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is apparently on the same page as the Army Chief and has stated that the “Army has a free hand in dealing with miscreants obstructing anti terror operations”.
In the past few months, the Army has lost over two dozen of its men and officers and is therefore determined that the casualty list does not go up. Instead, those responsible for the attacks would be weeded out and punished to quell growing militancy justified by separatists and those close to Pakistan as a consequence of anti India sentiments. Rawat’s statement has invited criticism from several Kashmiri politicians such as Engineer Rasheed and Yasin Malik, who is one of the separatist leaders. However, the Army is already at pains to explain that peace loving Kashmiris had nothing to fear and only those who try to disrupt an ongoing anti-terrorist operation by pelting stones or protecting miscreants would have to dealt with as abettors of terrorists. In this context, they could even have to face bullets as their actions would be construed to be anti national. Anyone desirous to protest peacefully had nothing to fear just as non-violent and non-agitated protestors in the rest of the country.
The tough talking Army Chief is believed to be a man of action and has already declared that he would not hesitate in taking on the Pakistanis or any other country if they infringed parameters relevant to the security of the Indian state. He is working to a plan, which entails raising the morale of his force and has openly acknowledged the Cold Start doctrine. The maxim prescribes mobilising infantry and armour for launching lightning strikes across the plains and deserts of Pakistan. The idea is to strike the enemy, giving it minimal time to manoeuvre its defensive formations to prepare and occupy watchful positions along the border.
Though there is a PDP-BJP government in Kashmir, the plan to contain Pakistan inspired activities would be unleashed with resolved strong-minded tenacity. Intense political churning in the strife ridden border state has already begun, with Tariq Hameed Karra, a prominent PDP leader, who defeated Farooq Abdullah in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, switching to the Congress. What has surprised political circles in the Valley is that Karra, who was amongst the founding members of the PDP and has in the past been known for his proximity to separatists, was welcomed in the Congress fold by party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi.
Sources said that the local leadership was not taken into confidence and was astounded when the announcement of Karra being admitted to the party was made. The 61-year-old leader, who vacated his Lok Sabha seat, was perturbed and dismayed with Mehbooba Mufti for joining hands with the BJP and has on several occasions stated that the present state government was facilitating the RSS agenda in Kashmir. Consequently, Nazir Khan, a Congress leader from Beerwah in Budgam, who lost the last elections to Omar Abdullah by a mere 910 votes, has shifted to PDP.
The PDP is understood to have so far not made any comment regarding the statement by the Army Chief, but several analysts in the state are convinced that political negotiations and dialogue were the only way forward in dealing with the Kashmir situation where “a healing touch” is needed. Leaving matters to the Army would send a wrong message and may quite well contribute to the deterioration of the situation.
On the other hand, the new thinking is that the ongoing Kashmir policy of the Centre has not yielded results, and had in fact, worsened matters. Crores of rupees pumped in through intelligence agencies to aid development have either been pocketed or have not generated the expected dividends. Thus the gloves have to be off if the Pakistanis and their proxies in the state have to be given a befitting reply.