Army alone can't solve problems of Kashmir: Commander

The problems of Kashmir cannot be resolved only by the Army, a top Army commander said here today, underlining the importance of political and administrative measures for betterment of the situation.
"Apart from the Army, the state government will have to do its work and it will be easy to wipe out terrorism sooner," said Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), while addressing a press conference here.
Asked whether the Army needs political encouragement and empowerment for undertaking operations in Kashmir, he said, "certainly, it is there. Anything the military does, it has got half the political will and direction. Military does not do anything its own.

"To that extent, whatever the political steps the government in power takes, reflects on the operations of the armed forces. And yes, there have been positive steps on all the fronts as far as operations are concerned and it does really benefit."
When referred to some recent cases where people of Kashmir extended a helping hand to the Army personnel after meeting with accidents, Gen Anbu said it is happening.
"If you walk on the streets of Kashmir Valley, you will see swell in the support for the Army because armed forces do not do the kinetic operations but also indulge in the soft relations including activities for education, employment generation and using Sadhbhavana for youth and preparation them for various examination and providing them full exposure and many more," he said.

"They (people) are there to appreciate what Army does. It is definitely rebuff to the separatists," the commander said.

He said when separatists called 'bandh' in Kashmir in protest against the NIA raids, the life was "much normal".
He said militants seek to raise the pitch of violence whenever pressure of the security forces goes up.
"We keep on looking at how things are developing and formulate our own strategy so that it does not happen. When we control the situation, they come and again try to vitiate the atmosphere and increase the strength of terrorists. But it is our own strategy to ensure that it does not happen," Gen Anbu said.