In Search of
Peace in Kashmir
An exclusive interview with Lt Gen Gurmeet
Singh, AVSM, VSM the General commanding the Srinagar based Chinar Corps.
Soldiers
are seldom connected with peace. Their celluloid portrayal, complete with war
paints and weapons on the ready, conjures images of a man out to kill.
General
Ata Hasnain, when in the valley, changed that image where he was referred to as
the “people’s general”. For him People were the centre of gravity and succor
to awam caught
in the cross fire between foreign terrorists, local hardliners and the security
forces was the key to conducting humane operations amongst people. As we were
analysing this as an honest approach to offer counter narratives to violent
extremism, we came across another general – a general operating on the
cognitive domain.
Readers,
meet Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh – the commander of Srinagar based Chinar Corps.
Team
SAISA had analysed Army’s Hearts and Minds program in insurgency infected
areas and were pleasantly surprised at this affable, unassuming general
always talking people and about what he wants to do for them. His passion was
palpable and his approach honest. We had just finished reading Arundhatti Roy
edited, “The Hanging of Afzal Guru” and thought that the security forces were
part of the larger malaise in Kashmir. This general therefore fired our
imagination as we prodded him about his approach to resolving Kashmir
Q. General, it is said that 2014 dynamics will pose a
huge challenge to the security situation in Kashmir. How are you preparing for
this challenge?
Gen Gurmeet. The challenge is real as you would have noticed
by the Pakistani establishments desperate attempts to infiltrate foreign
terrorists over the last few months. Poonch, Mendhar, Sambha and Keran are
proof that their Kashmir policy is rooted in the Jihadi Military nexus. We have
given them a befitting reply and have raised the cost of this proxy war by
retaining a firm control over the escalatory grammar of conflict. Our troops
have dominated the Line of Control and we shall thwart all their efforts at
infiltration to subvert the peace process in Kashmir.
Q. Keran brought your operations under a sharp scrutiny
from national media as another Kargil. What is your take?
Gen Gurmeet. I respect the national and more importantly the local
media and their quest for transparency. The army is accountable to the nation
and people have the right to know what is happening at the LC or in the
hinterland. Despite efforts by some selective journalists to spin conspiracy
theories, I maintain that we were in full control of the situation and that at
no point was the advantage ever with the other side. They begin things and ends
up messing up big time. I do not think the Keran infiltration bid was as much
an attempt at infiltration as it was to hit the media headlines internationally
to remind the world that despite “other sides”involvement on their western
borders, Kashmir remains uppermost in their minds. Unwittingly some sections of
Indian media obliged. Secondly, military operations can not be conducted to
suit news room rhetoric. We are dealing with real lives and safety and security
of our troops is uppermost in our minds while conducting operations. Military
and the media must understand this vital congruence. There are lots to learn –
for both in understanding each other’s sensitivities and concerns.
Q. While LC draws a lot of media attention
reported feverishly by an overzealous media, the real battle is going on in the
minds of people in the hinterland. What are you doing about it?
Gen Gurmeet. I entirely agree with you. The LC is well defended and
we always retain moral ascendancy but it is the mind space in the hinterland
where we have to heal wounds and scars left by history of the Kashmir conflict.
The awam has suffered the consequences of this prolonged war and they need a
healing touch. I have full confidence in my command who believe that they must
deal with the awam in a humane and gentlemanly manner. Our troops are deployed
in remote corners of the valley and I have made it abundantly clear to them
that for us to win peace, we must be one with the people and resolve their day
to day problems while conducting people friendly operations to eliminate
terrorist leadership.
Q What are the key ingredients of your Kashmir
Strategy?
Gen Gurmeet. After Jun 24th, my focus has been on military
professionalism by operating in the cognitive domain. We are conducting
specific and surgical operations aimed at elimination of terrorist leadership.
Simultaneously, we have focused on inculcating cultural sensitivities among our
troops. Kashmiris are hugely talented and grossly misunderstood. It has been my
endeavour to bridge this gap and bring the awam and jawan closer towards
winning peace. We have an integrated civic action group which coordinates all
activities aimed at ameliorating the conditions of the awam in concert with the
state administration.
As
a result of this approach, we have eliminated terrorist leaders without
protests and awam has come forward to give precise intelligence on foreign
terrorists. Army has shut the doors of infiltration frustrating efforts of
people wanting to foment trouble in the run up to the elections. Their
frustration is palpable in absence of first and second tier leadership…now
there are few old muscles. It is because of army having reclaimed
professionalism, there is visible josh with a deeper
understanding of their role in bringing peace, they are not reactive and lastly
they have reinvented their humanness.
We
have launched a major initiative to out beat radicalisation – seditious
material on the media and non armed terror through urbanised pockets. Inflow of
unaccounted money, Wahabi, Shia, agencies, both Indian and Pakistani, and drugs
money is a big challenge which has corrupted and radicalised youth who have few
employment opportunities. That is our biggest challenge.
Q. And what about your Hearts and Minds Policy?
Is it working?
Gen Gurmeet. Well that is for you to see. As far as we are
concerned, when we say people are the centre of gravity, we mean it. Our
priorities are to empower youth with education through Goodwill Schools,
provide facilities for skilling, empower women and provide succor to people
inhabiting remote areas. As winters approach, disaster warning and management
has assumed added significance. However, the most important part of our
approach is to listen to the grievances of people and provide them relief in
concert with the state administration and the police. Here I would like to
reiterate that the state administration, all security forces and the police are
on the same page when it comes to providing a healing touch. There is still a
lot to be done and we shall continue to work at it.
Q. What would you like as, if we may say, your
message to the people?
Gen Gurmeet. I am no one to give messages but in all humility I
would appeal to the people to keep the faith in their Army. It’s the people’s
army and we are operating in very difficult but not insurmountable
conditions. People’s support goes a long way in raising the morale of the
soldiers keeping vigil at 12000 feet – something which provides respectability
to this noble and selfless profession of arms.
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