The Hindu : Front Page : No troops reduction in J&K: Manmohan

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Sunday, Mar 04, 2007
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No troops reduction in J&K: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has ruled out, for now, troops reduction in Jammu and Kashmir. He said such a step could be contemplated if terrorist activities ended in the troubled State.

The Prime Minister rejected the contention that the Army was an "army of occupation." Troops were in the State to protect the citizens, their lives and liberties from those who believed in violence and terror.

Dr. Singh's remarks on Saturday constitute a refutation of the statement made by All Parties Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday that India and Pakistan had agreed on troops reduction.

The Prime Minister described his statement as "speculation."

Apart from Pakistan and separatist voices, which have been demanding "demilitarisation," the People's Democratic Party, a partner in the ruling alliance with the Congress in the State, has raised the question of troops reduction.

Dr. Singh's remarks, made on the sidelines of a book release function at his house here, assume significance because PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti met him two days ago. She met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Congress president Sonia Gandhi also.

Ms. Mehbooba's argument is that since the Centre has been maintaining that militancy has come down, it is about time the Army made way for the local police. According to her, the Army, over the years, occupied orchards, school buildings, hospitals and private land for its use; the very presence of these pockets of security men constituted symbols of alienation.

She told her interlocutors in New Delhi that should the Army vacate, say, from a village, there would be no reason for terrorists to target that village. On the contrary, the villagers would acquire a vested interest in making sure that militants did not come back to their area.

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