No Kargil-like situation in Keran, says Tewari

The army chief described it was an infiltration attempt by 30 to 40 terrorists

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has brushed aside suggestions likening the 14-day operation against heavily armed militants from Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district to a Kargil-type situation.

Tewari, answering questions on the sidelines of an event here, said in the case of the 1999 Kargil operation, it was an "intrusion which was subsequently detected, and India had to engage in a border war to expel the intruders, that cost the lives of many, many Indian soldiers".

With regard to the operation in Keran sector of Kupwara, he said: "The Indian establishment has been more than vigilant."

"Even as the intruders came in they were detected, they were interdicted and they were neutralised."

He said to "draw an analogy of a parallel Kargil, I think, is completely, for lack of a better metaphor, perhaps the lack of strategic understanding".

The minister also said that it would be "worthwhile for Pakistan to introspect and ensure their territory is not used for such purposes that affects stability" .

The Indian Army's operation against a heavily-armed band of infiltrating guerrillas in Keran sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district entered its 14th day Monday.

Army chief General Bikram Singh on Friday had dismissed suggestions that the Keran operation was like Kargil.

The army chief had described it as an infiltration attempt by 30 to 40 terrorists.

"They have been stopped, prevented. Some of them have been neutralised. Operations are on to flush them out. It is a matter of time," he said.