The Army on Sunday said there were no solid footprints of the Islamic State (IS) in Jammu and Kashmir “but hoisting of IS flags was a matter of concern”.
“There are incidents of flag waving that we have seen which is a matter of concern,” Northern Army Commander Lt General D S Hooda told reporters after laying a wreath and paying his respects to those killed in the 1999 Kargil war, at the war memorial in Drass.
“It (IS) is such an organisation with such radical sort of ideology that we should make sure that it doesn’t even get a hold. It has no place in a democracy. We have to see how to fight this ideological battle and frankly that is the plan at which it will be fought,” he added.
General Hooda said security agencies have to put their heads together to make sure that the IS doesn’t get a foothold in India. “We have already seen it in Afghanistan. We have also seen factions of TTP (Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) which operate in Pakistan pledging their allegiance to IS. So, it is a matter of concern that they are coming closer and closer to our region,” he said.
The Northern Army commander also expressed concern over local youth joining militancy but said the numbers were not alarming. “Last year, according to our intelligence figures, about 60 local youth, mostly from south Kashmir, joined militant ranks. This year, about 30-35 is the figure that we have. The number is not that large that it will transform the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
However, General Hooda said, it is a matter of concern when young people have now slowly again started picking up the gun. “Establishment has to look at the issues of alienation and employment to counter the trend,” he suggested.
He also expressed concern over the recent attacks on cellular operations in Kashmir. “(Attack on) mobile communication affects every man. It’s not so much that a tower has been attacked and two people have been injured there, it is the impact that it will have on the population as a whole,” he said.
Asked about challenges the Army was facing on the Kargil frontier, he said, “Indian Army is ready to face any challenge in Kargil. Earlier, there was only a unit in Kargil but now there is a full fledged division.”
He said the Army has no objection to opening Kargil-Skardu road. “I don’t think our government also has any objection in opening the road,” he added.
“There are incidents of flag waving that we have seen which is a matter of concern,” Northern Army Commander Lt General D S Hooda told reporters after laying a wreath and paying his respects to those killed in the 1999 Kargil war, at the war memorial in Drass.
“It (IS) is such an organisation with such radical sort of ideology that we should make sure that it doesn’t even get a hold. It has no place in a democracy. We have to see how to fight this ideological battle and frankly that is the plan at which it will be fought,” he added.
General Hooda said security agencies have to put their heads together to make sure that the IS doesn’t get a foothold in India. “We have already seen it in Afghanistan. We have also seen factions of TTP (Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) which operate in Pakistan pledging their allegiance to IS. So, it is a matter of concern that they are coming closer and closer to our region,” he said.
The Northern Army commander also expressed concern over local youth joining militancy but said the numbers were not alarming. “Last year, according to our intelligence figures, about 60 local youth, mostly from south Kashmir, joined militant ranks. This year, about 30-35 is the figure that we have. The number is not that large that it will transform the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
However, General Hooda said, it is a matter of concern when young people have now slowly again started picking up the gun. “Establishment has to look at the issues of alienation and employment to counter the trend,” he suggested.
He also expressed concern over the recent attacks on cellular operations in Kashmir. “(Attack on) mobile communication affects every man. It’s not so much that a tower has been attacked and two people have been injured there, it is the impact that it will have on the population as a whole,” he said.
Asked about challenges the Army was facing on the Kargil frontier, he said, “Indian Army is ready to face any challenge in Kargil. Earlier, there was only a unit in Kargil but now there is a full fledged division.”
He said the Army has no objection to opening Kargil-Skardu road. “I don’t think our government also has any objection in opening the road,” he added.
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