Social media radicalising Valley: Rawat

Jammu, October 21

Blaming the social media for radicalisation of the Valley youth, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat today said the problem was  being tackled with a “lot of seriousness”.

On a day-long visit here, he brushed aside the braid-chopping incidents in the state as a “routine matter” which, he said, would be tackled by the civil administration and the state police.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a function at the Sunjwan military station where he presented the President’s Standards to 47 Armoured Regiment. On June 28, 2003, at least 12 soldiers were killed at this station in a fidayeen attack.

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 “Radicalisation is a worldwide phenomenon. The Jammu and Kashmir Government, the police, the administration and everybody else are concerned. We are trying to ensure that people are weaned away from it,”  the Army Chief said. 

On the Pakistan army chief’s statement that they wanted better ties with India, he said: “The military has a task and we will continue to perform our task. Any talks have to be decided at the political level.” 

On inquiries into various terror attacks on military establishments, he replied: “Inquiries have been completed and action has been taken. Punishment is being awarded to those found guilty. Nobody will be spared.”

Pointing out that training camps for terrorists across the Line of Control had not been shut, he said a surgical strike was not the only option the Army had. “Other methods too are being followed.”

On Pakistani troops and militants across the LoC increasingly relying on snipers to target Indian troops and civilians, the General said, “These methods are not new.”

Claiming the situation in the Kashmir valley was improving, he said: “When the whole of the government approach is adopted, then every aspect and every machinery of the government is to play a part, and whatever success the NIA raids have achieved will emerge in the near future.”

The General said top militants in the Valley had been eliminated and the security forces clearly had the upper hand. — TNS