Jammu: Expressing concern over the loss of lives of 26 soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir in anti-militancy operations in past 50 days, J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) on Tuesday endorsed Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s tough warning to those obstructing the security forces’ operations.
Seeking a tough Kashmir policy on the line of stern warning given last week by Gen Rawat, JKNPP Chairman Harsh Dev Singh told reporters, “Disrespect to Indian Soldier in Jammu and Kashmir is intolerable.”
Calling upon the Union government to give Army a free hand to deal effectively with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir, Singh said “the Army chief s proposition needed to be given full support.”
The JKNPP leader, however, lashed out at the Central BJP leadership, accusing them of doing little to back the proposal of the Army chief and merely paying lip service to it. “The fact stands corroborated by the recent videos going viral and showing Kashmir youth raising pro-Park slogans in front of security forces, instigating them in a reaction to Army Chief s statement,” he said.
The former state minister said such episodes amply proves that central BJP leaders had made the statements in support of Army Chief only for public consumption. He said with Army losing 26 soldiers between January 1 and February 20 this year against only 22 militants eliminated during the period, the J&K has earned a dubious record of higher soldiers causalities.