Indian Army Chief Rules Out Troops Cut in Kashmir

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Oct 6: Indian army chief, General Deepak Kapoor today ruled out any immediate troops-cut in Kashmir.

Addressing media in an army headquarters in central Kashmir, some 35 kms from Srinagar, the Indian army chief said whenever there is peace in Kashmir incidents of violence do go up. "It has been a pattern in Kashmir. Whenever a semblance of peace returns to Kashmir, it is followed by violence", he said.

Referring to the 31 hour long gunfight in North Kashmir recently, General Deepak Kapoor said that it was the fiercest of the gunfights during past four to five years. "Yesterday also the militants made attempt to infiltrate into Kashmir and the vigilant soldiers shot dead three militants", General Kapoor said.

"These incidents indicate that militants are making attempts to infiltrate into Kashmir and carry on militancy related incidents in the Valley. The soldiers are ready for the challenge and are thwarting the attempts of militants to infiltrate into Kashmir. The militants are being killed and not allowed to move in", army general said.

On a question related to troops-cut, Chief of Indian Army Staff said "It is not appropriate time to reduce the number of troops deployed in Kashmir. It can be given a thought only after violence in Kashmir is taken care of fully and peace and normalcy returns to the Valley".

When asked that his predecessor General J J Singh had said that the time was appropriate for troops cut in Kashmir, General Deepak Kapoor said, "His comments were based on the situation. But iin the past few days, the violent incidents in Kashmir have gone up and one can easily judge that the time is not appropriate for any troops cut".

General Kapoor, on his first visit to Kashmir after taking over as army chief, said the army has been given a task by the Government of India and the army would complete the task to the best of their abilities. "When the Government of India thinks the situation in Kashmir is improving, it will decide accordingly about a troops cut", he said, adding, "We shall work as per the directions of the Government of India".

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.

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