The Centre is planning to reduce the strength of the security forces (paramilitary personnel) deployed in Jammu and Kashmir by 25 per cent as part of confidence-building measures to bring peace in the Valley. While the home ministry wants to reduce the paramilitary force levels in J&K, the Army feels there is no need to cut its own troop levels there.
The government plans to reduce the number of Central paramilitary forces in “populated” areas and is focusing on training of Central forces and state police for law and order duties.
Home secretary G.K. Pillai also said India was planning to unilaterally issue six-month multiple entry permits for people from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) wanting to visit J&K through the Line of Control (LoC). The Centre’s move is bound to please the Omar Abdullah government in J&K which was rocked by protests and stone-pelting in J&K last year.
According to news agency reports from Srinagar, some of the separatist leaders have already welcomed the move.
However, on Friday, the Army Chief, Gen. V.K. Singh, said terrorists had instigated the stone-pelters in Kashmir last year and that the mob was “not just an angry crowd”. In response to a question, the Army Chief also said there were “pressures” on the legal system in Kashmir. “What kind of justice we can expect leaves a question mark,” he said. Gen. Singh also said that while he would not comment on withdrawal of any paramilitary personnel from J&K, the Army did not feel there was any need to cut its troop levels in J&K.
The proposed reduction by the home ministry of paramilitary troops in J&K is part of their reorientation by shifting focus from battling militancy to routine patrolling and handling street protests Currently, 10 battalions (10,000 personnel) each of Central paramilitary forces (CPMFs) and state police are undergoing training in tacking law and order problems. Mr Pillai said on Friday some forces have already been taken out of Srinagar and 16 bunkers have been removed, adding that it was an ongoing process. He said the deployment of security forces should be of minimum strength in populated areas and management by local police would be ideal. “If violence is not there, we can gradually reduce the strength of security forces and make sure that forces are only at the border and for preventing infiltration,” he said.
Asked why it took so long for the Centre to react to the deaths of students in J&K last summer, Mr Pillai said, “I agree it should not have taken so long but governance is a huge issue for the Central government. Why can’t the state government solve some issues on its own? At every stage the Centre is expected to fill in. You have to empower the people. The government has to be decentralised, has to reach out to people.”
Mr Pillai added, “We suggested that the people visit their relatives more often. Now we are planning to unilaterally give six-month multiple entry permits for the people of PoK.” On troop reduction in the Valley, Mr Pillai cited the example of Nagaland, saying that a few years ago there were two divisions of the Army but now there was hardly any security force presence in the state. In the same way there were 60 companies (6,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces in Nagaland and now there are just two companies there.
Meanwhile, at his press conference ahead of Army Day, Gen. V.K. Singh said the Army doesn’t feel there is a need to cut down its force levels in J&K, but if the government does decide to cut force levels of uniformed personnel, then it will be ensured that no “extra pressure” is put on the “already-stretched deployment” of Army personnel in the state. He pointed out that there is a Unified Command in place in J&K.
The Army Chief said he was not aware of any plans for withdrawal of some troops from the state but pointed out that uniformed personnel in J&K included police and paramilitary forces. The Army is engaged in guarding the LoC and in counter-insurgency operations in J&K. Gen. Singh said that if at all there is any withdrawal, it would be of “those people who are considered dispensable” in the current security scenario.
In response to a question on the alleged fake encounter in Machil sector in J&K, Gen. Singh said the Army inquiry had been delayed due to the ban imposed by the local courts in Kashmir on local witnesses being made available before the Army. In this context, he spoke about the “pressures out there” on the legal system and drew attention to the role played by a “rabidly anti-India” lawyer of the Kashmir Bar Association.
The home secretary, who has been criticised by Pakistan for his comments on the ISI’s role in 26/11, said that despite hiccups in the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, New Delhi wants to reach out to people of the neighbouring country. “The official-level composite dialogue has not taken off the way we would have wanted it to take off. But people-to-people talks are on. We are encouraging musical, cultural programmes and drama festivals between the two countries. We are encouraging Pakistanis to come here on these grounds,” he said.
Mr Pillai also complimented the three-member J&K interlocutor group, saying their interactions have encouraged people who have never been heard before to speak out. He said the government expects the interlocutors to submit their final report by April. “So far we have received three reports. When their final report comes, we will share it with all political parties, the Union Cabinet, and decide on a future course of action,” he said.
The Centre was also asking corporate India to give jobs to youths of Jammu and Kashmir in different parts of the country. “We think they can absorb 1,00,000 youth in jobs all over India in the next 12 months,” he said.
Mr Pillai said setting up of an information commission in J&K as well as strengthening of the human rights commission, and setting up of a child rights council are part of the efforts to bring in transparency. “We hope the state government will take up such things in the coming days,” he said, adding that the Centre was taking up the issue of discrimination against Kashmiris with some of the state governments.