Srinagar: The Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat has expressed concerns over the youth in the valley picking up the gun and said that Kashmiris have to understand that the government forces haven’t been so brutal.
Earlier this week, a 22-year-old tourist whose vehicle was targeted by stone-pelters, died. Whereas, the civilian death toll in Sunday’s clashes between protesters and government forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir has climbed to six after a youth succumbed to injuries.
“I want to tell Kashmiri youth that Azadi isn’t possible. It won’t happen. Don’t get carried away unnecessarily,” Rawat said in an interview to Indian Express.
Stating that the Army doesn’t enjoy the killings, Bipin Rawat also said that if you want to fight us, then we will fight you with all our force. Kashmiris have to understand that the SFs (security forces) haven’t been so brutal.”
“Look at Syria and Pakistan. They use tanks and air power in similar situations. Our troops have been trying their level best to avoid any civilian casualty despite huge provocation,” he told the daily.
Rawat also said that they can’t allow people to disrupt our operations and help terrorists to flee. “People are ‘inciting security forces by pelting stones at them to disrupt the operations…they are inciting security forces to become more aggressive.’’
The Army chief also said that he is still trying to understand where did all that anger come from, and believes the youth have gotten themselves in Pakistan’s trap.
Rawat also said that he was ready to suspend the military operation, but questioned who will guarantee that there won’t be fire at the men, at their vehicles, men returning home on leave aren’t attacked.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said that the Centre should consider a unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir starting from Ramzan in mid-May till the completion of the Amarnath yatra in August.
She made the remarks after chairing a four-hour all-party meeting, which was convened to discuss the present situation in the Kashmir Valley especially after a tourist from Chennai died due to stone pelting on May 7.
Earlier, terming the death of a 22-year-old tourist whose vehicle was targeted by stone-pelters the “murder of humanity”, Mufti had said the incident had rattled the mother in her.
Those who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion, an upset Mehbooba said after meeting the father of Chennai resident S Thirumani, who was holidaying in the Valley with his family and died yesterday evening at a hospital here.
The issue would be discussed and debated on television for days and “we will be silently watching the murder of humanity, which has been unheard of in the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said
