Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 30: General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps of the Army, Lt General Om Prakash, today said that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), is no immunity for the Army personnel found involved in crimes like rape. The General also said that Army is on alert along the Line of Control (LoC) to deal with any challenge.
While responding to a question if Army would implement the recommendations of the Justice Verma commission, seeking civil trial of Army personnel involved in offences like rape, the Army commander, while speaking to reporters, said in South Kashmir district of Shopian: “Rape, whether committed by a civilian or by a soldier, is a big sin. Whenever such an incident takes place in which Army is involved, we take strong notice and conduct court martial.” He said Army takes action against its personnel even in cases of molestation or eve teasing.
The General said that AFSPA or no AFSPA, it does not matter while dealing with crimes like rape. “It is part of the Army discipline that if any Army man commits such a crime, he will have to face action whether there is AFSPA or not,” he added.
On the revocation of the AFSPA from the State, the Army commander said that it is up to Government to take a decision on it. “We are a disciplined Army and we will abide by the Government decision. Whatever are the directions of the Government we will follow them”, he added.
Lt General Prakash, however, said that Army has given its recommendations to the Defence Ministry and they have possibly forwarded it on to the Home Ministry.
The General said Army is on high alert along the LoC in the State after recent incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan and beheading of two Army personnel in Mendhar area of Poonch in Jammu division.
The Army Commander said that Pakistani troops have sent more troops to the LoC and Indian Army is on high alert to defeat designs of the enemy. “We are ready to deal with any challenge”, he added.
He ruled out the militant involvement in Mendhar attack on the army in which two Army personnel were killed. He said that there is no involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba or Jaish-e-Mohammad as is being projected by the media but it was done by the Pakistani Army. He, however, said that Army is investigating the beheading of its jawans.
The Corps commander said that during Kargil war also, the Pakistani Army claimed that it were Mujahideen who were involved but Indian Army always maintained Pakistan Army involvement. He said now their retired General has made it public that Pakistani Army was involved in Kargil.
Regarding the security to Panchs and Sarpanchs after recent threats in which a Sarpach was killed and Panch injured in militant attacks in North Kashmir’s Sopore area, the General said that security issue of Panchayat members was discussed recently in security review meeting. He said that it was decided that collective action will be taken by the security forces for their security. He said that police have to maintain their presence in the populated areas to deal with this threat.
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