Search the Internet            Tips

Army Chief favours extension of cease-fire

Army Chief General S Padmanabhan said Friday that he favoured an extension of the cease-fire in Jammu and Kashmir as its advantages heavily outweighed the disadvantages. The unilateral cease-fire, was announced by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during Ramzan and later extended till January 26.

"In Jammu and Kashmir there is a sea-change in the situation," General Padmanabhan said pointing out that the exchange of fire between India and Pakistan along the International Border in the Jammu sector and the Line of Control in Kashmir had nearly stopped. And the Siachen glacier has not witnessed any firing since the end of November, he said.

When asked if he is satisfied with the situation in Kashmir, he said it was better in many ways. "There is very little firing at the border and lesser casualties and there is a definite reduction in infiltration," he said. From the Pakistan side, their announcement of maximum restraint along the border is "also holding", barring a few incidents of firing. "It is good," he said.

He said at least two groups -- the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed -- comprising foreign militants are "continuing their activities", but local militants are not, though they threaten to.

"There is a huge burgeoning of hope in Kashmir. Kashmiris are out on the streets of Srinagar till 10 pm," he said pointing out that they are more "relaxed" after the announcement of the cease-fire.

"I hope that the cease-fire will lead to something more concrete," General Padmanabhan said during his press conference in the run up to Army Day on January 15.

"There is no gain saying if security forces are not chasing militants, the militants are recouping. However, we know where they are and if needed we will get them," he said.

On Pakistan's claim about pulling back troops from the Line of Control and International Border, General Padmanabhan said they had pulled back only troops who had moved in during the Kargil conflict and later for exercises. "No frontline troops have been pulled back," he pointed out. "By that logic, the Indian Army too has pulled back a lot of troops," he argued.

Further, he said the Indian Army has carried out a "fair amount of pruning" of its forces on the Kargil heights. In the wake of Operation Vijay, India had deputed many troops in Kargil where the day-time temperature is several degrees below zero in winter.

But he said there could be more pruning. "We will wait and watch and as we go ahead we will thin it. We will keep it at a level justifiable for operations," he said.

On reports of 40 officers facing court-martials in the post-Kargil investigation, General Padmanabhan said, "After Operation Vijay we needed to initiate administrative action against some people for errors, omissions and emissions."

"Any army has to do it and we too are doing it," he asserted. He said reports of about 40 to 50 officers facing court-martial are exaggerated.

On recent civil court orders turning down general court martial orders, the general said the army has "undertaken an extensive review of the army rules and regulations". "The matter will be finalised sometime this year," he said. "We are very aware that the law must keep up with the times."

He said the army has suggested to the Group of Ministers, looking into suggestions on internal security post-Kargil, that the army should be the last option in internal security problems. The army has suggested that paramilitary forces like the Assam Rifles in the northeast and the Rashtriya Rifles in other parts of the country, including Kashmir, should be the last but one intervention level.

On the recent Delhi High Court order exonerating all accused in the Samba spy case, the general said the army will make up its mind once it gets the full copy of the order and it has three months for further action.

On the proposal for appointment of Chief of Defence Staff, the general said the government would soon be taking a decision on the issue. He said the army feels that in the wake of India becoming an overt nuclear power, there should be a "single-point military advice" to the government.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report