Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s says he is in favour of talks that could bring a change in youths joining militancy and that peace should be given a chance in Kashmir.
Responding on the controversy over the opening of cantonment roads he said the civilians living in the area were suffering due to the closed roads and hence it was a decision that had to be taken to help the civilian population residing and accessing the cantonment areas.
A dialogue with locals could help to break the cycle of terror groups recruiting these innocent youths.
“Talks must happen. The issue is that a lot of locals are joining militancy. We kill them and more would join. Infiltration can be controlled, but this cycle of recruitment of local youth can go on and on. So…let’s give peace a chance and see,” he told ET.
On Dokhlam’s overall situation on the LOC with China, Chief said with the informal summit between Indian and China, the situation has definitely returned to normal on LOC.
“Things at the LAC are normal as earlier. We are encouraged by the meetings at the highest level,” referring to the summit.
Speaking on the status of the DGMO-level (Director General of Military Operations) hotline between the two countries, he said: “We have local level contact. For this one, we have an interpreter problem and are thinking of how to go ahead with it. If we call and if they don’t have an interpreter ready, then what.”
When asked about the recent controversial Major Gogoi incident who was refrained in a hotel, the Army Chief did not reveal much but responded with saying: “The inquiry is on. I had also made the statement that strongest punishment would be given to him if he is found guilty.”
Talking further on the Seventh Pay Commission that has authorized monetary compensation for the soldiers on selected items of personal clothing, he said, the finance ministry has issued Rs. 10000 as an allowance to its soldiers for personal clothing.
He says since the allowance is now allowed, the media must indeed do some research on this subject.
The Army Chief said: “It’s actually better that soldiers buy uniforms on their own rather than from the ordnance factories. The ordnance factory vests are so thick that no one can wear them. So we let the Jawan buy on his own, by his choice and when he wants. We are giving the access to quality clothing.”
When asked whether the Army has already selected items that should be brought under the personal clothing range, he said “We have told the MoD (Ministry of Defence) that within the Rs 10,000 allowance the soldier can buy 27 items. These 27 items would be rank badges, vests, different badges, etc, and only the daily OG (known as Olive Green) uniform and not combat uniforms.”
The Army chief also responded to the controversy over the opening of cantonment roads, saying it had to be done to help civilian population residing in and accessing cantonment areas.
“If we find that a road is coming to a particular civilian area, should we close it and think we are above everyone else. What we did earlier was from about 5 pm to 7 pm we would close a particular road for walking. Now a civilian who wants to pass through that area he is not allowed… he gets irritated.”
Elaborating the situation civilians are forced to go through, he talks about the Pune Cantonment case, where the shortest distance to the graveyard is through the cantonment.
He said: “We had closed this road. So civilians had to take a long detour to reach the Kabristan. Now a person is waiting at the road to reach the Kabristan, he sees someone bringing groceries for an officer and being allowed to move on the road, but he cannot go. You are irritating people by closing roads. If you have to manage security then manage it. Right now you have a false sense of security, when you feel that you are secured in a closed environment… we can’t put civilians away. People will start becoming hostile, because they will think that the Army feels its above everyone else.”