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Defence Minister non-committal on troops cut

SRINAGAR: The signals coming from Defence Minister A.K. Antony’s interaction with the major players here indicate a measured approach to the demand for troops reduction in Jammu and Kashmir.

Interacting with the media here, after a two-day assessment of the security environment, Mr. Antony declined to commit himself to a timetable for “reconfiguration” or “redeployment” of troops. But he mentioned the several encouraging factors that could contribute to such a move. At the same time, he spoke about the pitfalls of a vacuum in the security grid in the event of a knee-jerk reaction.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a coalition partner of the Congress in the State Government, was restrained in its demand for a smaller presence of the security forces, especially in populated areas. The PDP and some civil society organisations had been in the forefront of the demand for troops review, after which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ordered the setting up of committees, including the one headed by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt. He demits office this week.

Like Mr. Antony, the Army restrained itself from linking the security situation and the consequences of a reduction in troops. But at a specially arranged briefing by 15 Corps, which has been at hub of counter-insurgency operations since the advent of militancy, Col. Harjinder Singh pointed out the increase in percentage of foreign components among militants, the “effectiveness” of surveillance grids that were making it tougher for militants to infiltrate and the diffidence on the part of the militants to take on the security forces directly.

The briefing was preceded by a tour of a “museum” with a display of neatly stacked weapons rows upon rows, said to have been recovered from militants.

Ending his visit with the news conference, the Minister said the positive factors were the “successful” ceasefire along the Line of Control that led to a cessation of exchange of artillery fire, a yearning for “permanent” peace among all barring a few and, more crucial, the fact that militancy was not uniformly spread across the State.

“The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is improving fast. There is a change in [security] atmosphere compared to previous years. I found an all-round interest in peace except among a handful of people. I don’t think the whole of Jammu and Kashmir is affected by violence. It is limited to certain pockets. At the same time, if we slacken our efforts, the situation can take a bad shape,” he said.

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