By Binoo Joshi, IANS
Jammu : Policemen in Jammu and Kashmir have made a “strong request” for more troops to check a possible spurt in militant activity ahead of the 2008 assembly polls, especially as two brigades of the army were quietly moved out earlier this year, sources say.
This police plea – made verbally to the state government – comes at a time when debate is on at various levels on “demilitarisation” in the state.
While Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress believes “it’s still not time to reduce troops in the state and we must consolidate our position before taking such step”, its coalition partner People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says the demilitarisation should start immediately though in phased manner.
The bickering between the two coalition partners had reached a peak in February when both took each other head on over the issue in the budget session of the state assembly.
“It’s precisely then that two brigades (over 6,000 soldiers) of the army gradually moved out of the militancy infested parts of the Jammu region,” an army officer who was part of those troops said on condition of anonymity.
Policemen in the thick of anti-militancy operations in the state feel “it’s a very crucial phase and we would require more troops during and in the run up to assembly elections in 2008”.
This view is endorsed by most police officials on field duty in the militancy-wracked districts in the state. The strength of the Jammu and Kashmir Police is around 70,000.
A senior police officer in one of these districts said, “Our level of training cannot match the army’s and it is not possible to raise the number of police forces immediately to fill the space after the troop pullout.
There are three corps of the army present in the state – two of which are present in Kashmir and Jammu and with around 95,000 soldiers each guard the border regions and take part in anti-militancy operations.
“No such step should be taken that can give a breather to militants or give them the desired manoeuvrability as we enter the election mode.”
Policemen say militant intercepts suggest they are trying to regroup and desperate to make their presence felt. “In this situation, every strike by them (militants) will give them a psychological boost.”
In a core group meeting chaired by the General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) of 16 Corps, Lt. Gen T.K. Sapru, and attended by various security agencies the following was noted: “It was a matter of great satisfaction that some great successes have been achieved by the security forces in anti-militancy operations and this downward slide in militancy is due to the synergy among the entire security set-up in the state.”
Highlighting the fact that infiltration has been checked in the Jammu region, General Sapru stressed that there was a need to maintain moral ascendancy over the terrorists.
Recently a committee headed by the union defence secretary submitted a report on troop reduction. The panel was formed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the PDP pressed for “demilitarisation”, even threatening a withdrawal of support if the demand was not met.