On June 30, the celebrated General Officer Commanding of strategically most important Northern Command, Lt. Gen. K.T. Parnaik will retire from active service. He will leave behind the enviable tradition of a dutiful and patriotic soldier of Indian Army whose contribution others will emulate.
In a rare expose on the occasion of 42nd Raising Day of the Northern Command, General Parnaik has reflected on a number of issues of national interests. His succinct comments on some crucial issues will go a long way in demolishing the doubts and apprehensions of many a pessimistic and negative observer and commentator. He categorically stated that the Army did not compromise on de-escalation of tension in Daulat Baig Oldi where China had violated the protocol on 15th April and strayed into our territory to pitch tents. No structures were dismantled and nothing was surrendered. This threadbare statement from the army top brass gives a lie to all the speculative theories thrown up by some negative elements or ill-informed media. He explained that since part of the borderline had remained un-delineated, perceptions clashed but using the given conflict resolving mechanisms, status quo is restored.
The General, very clearly and in a forthright manner, stated that not to speak of total withdrawal of AFSPA, the Army was opposed even to its partial withdrawal and had conveyed this observation to the Defence Ministry. He asserted that while terrorist structure was intact in PoK, and groups of 300 to 400 jihadis were usually assembled on the other side of LoC to infiltrate into our side, fragile peace and normalcy in the State remained under constant threat. The General said that AFSPA was neither draconian nor was it ever misused by the army. It was only to malign the army that malicious propaganda was spread and withdrawal of AFSPA demanded.
The General made the revelation that in 2010 agitation in the State our adversary had used Social Networking Sites and not mobiles and SIMSs as had been believed at that time. Later on when the facts came to light, the Army and the civilian Government countered it and the agitation fizzled out.
Responding to a question on threats to Shri Amarnath yatris, the General said that the army intelligence received reports of threats to prospective pilgrims. Terrorists are trying to use new methods of indulging in subversive activities. They may use books, toothpastes and boots to trigger bombs and it is not possible for security structure to inspect each pilgrims belongings. However, all precautions will be taken to ensure that terrorists get no opportunity of striking at will. The yatra begins on 28 June and ends on 21 August and security forces of the State as well as the army are set to provide full protection to the pilgrims.
On January 8 last, Pakistani troops had marched into our side of LoC in village Mankote in Mendhar, killed two gourds and beheaded one of them. There was nationwide resentment and demand for appropriate retaliation. Commenting on this happening, General Parnaik revealed that the army had retaliated aggressively but the details of retaliatory step could not be made public owing to security reasons. We have reason to believe the General when he says that more than aggressive measure had been taken. This dispels the erroneous belief that Indian army has shown over-dose of patience and Pakistanis were meting out atrocious treatment to our troops.
Referring to Mian Nawaz Sharif’s gestures of friendship towards India after he was sworn in as Pakistan’s Prime Minister, General Parnaik said that while we appreciate the goodwill posture, we couldn’t remain complacent about the hostile acts of the jihadi structure in that country. It was still premature to comment on what shape Mian Nawaz Sharif’s relations with the army and ISI in that country will take. After all one had to wait and see if the legal and constitutional authority of the elected Government in Pakistan would be allowed to function normally. Under the constitutional provision, the army has to be subservient to the elected Government and cannot dictate terms as it has been doing so far. General’s statement is endorsed by the fact that so far Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not taken any step to dismantle the terrorist structure in PoK nor are infiltration bids stopped. From security point of view there is no change on the ground situation in PoK and as such our security planners cannot lower the guard. However, not taking any chance, the army is in full alert to defend our borders against clandestine infiltration and violation of cease-fire agreement. The General very candidly said that it has conveyed its views to the authorities and the last word remains with the Government.
General Parnaik’s rare statement covering numerous aspects of national issues related to country’s security and defence help us to have a clear picture of the situation. The most significant part of his address is the one dealing with the sponsorship of radicalization. He thinks that the task before Kashmir civilian leadership is that it should reverse the process of radicalization of the youth. Pakistan has left no stone unturned to bring about radicalization among the Kashmiri youth, which has led them astray from the path of peace and tranquility. Warning that jihadism had now turned upon its originators and that there are jihadi operations in a number of cities and towns in Pakistan that consume precious lives, the General hoped that Pakistan would realize what harm it has inflicted on its own people. If this realization comes to policy planners in that country, they will abjure violence and return to the path of peace.
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