Bloodier nose next time: Army chief to Pak

In a stern message to Pakistan on the 20th anniversary of Kargil war, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Friday warned the neighbouring country of a “bloodier nose” if it chooses to go into another war with India.

“Don't do it. Misadventures are normally not repeated. You will get a bloodier nose next time,” he said in his message to Pakistan while paying tribute at the war memorial in Dras.

The remarks came on a day when the country is observing the 20th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Vijay Diwas is being observed on July 26 to commemorate the success of ‘Operation Vijay’ which was launched by Army to recapture the strategic Indian territories held by the Pakistani intruders in the Kargil-Drass sector in 1999.

Kargil War took place between May 3 and July 26, 1999, in Kargil district of cold desert Ladakh region along the Line of Control (LOC).

General Rawat asserted that Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin were part of India and to retrieve it, they have to wait for the government’s decision. “I want to convey to our countrymen that you can rest assured that any task given to defence services will always be accomplished no matter how difficult it is. Our soldiers will continue to man and guard our borders,” the Army chief said.

On plans to modernise the Army’s inventory, he said that the focus is on the Artillery weapon system. “We are looking at modernising our inventory. Our focus is on Artillery weapon system, by 2020 we will get the Howitzers, K-9 Vajra is being manufactured in the country now and two Bofors like guns are being manufactured locally,” the Army chief said.

He also appealed to Kashmiri youth to shun guns and look after their families for a better and peaceful future.

“Any local youth who picks up the gun is no longer innocent,” General Rawat said and added that army was trying hard to motivate families of these misguided youth to compel them to shun guns and come back to the mainstream.

He said that no parent wants his children to do a PhD only to become a militant.

General Rawat also said that former India skipper of Team India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who will be joining the 106 Territorial Army Battalion (Para) on July 31, will not need protection “because it will be the cricketer, who would now be protecting the citizens of the country instead.”

Dhoni, who is also an honorary Lt Colonel in the Territorial Army, will carry out his duties until August 15.