LAHORE: A resolution was tabled in the Punjab Assembly condemning astatement by the Indian army chief in which the military official describedthe struggle for freedom in India-Held Kashmir (IHK) as “futile”.
The resolution pointed out that the Indian general’s statement was anadmission that the Kashmiri people are not terrorists but ordinary peoplewho are fighting for freedom.
The resolution urged Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states andother international organisations to intervene in the matter and ensurethat the Kashmir conflict is solved in accordance with the United Nations’sresolution.
In an interview to *The Indian Express* on Thursday, Indian Army ChiefGeneral Bipin Rawat warned Kashmiri youth that “azadi (freedom) is notpossible”.
“It won’t happen,” he told the publication. “Don’t get carried awayunnecessarily. Why are you picking up weapons? We will always fight thosewho seek *azadi*, those who want to secede. (Freedom) is not going tohappen, never.”
General Rawat claimed that the number of ‘militants’ killed in theencounters didn’t “matter to him because […] this cycle will continue”.
The general said that he did not “enjoy” killing innocent people but ifKashmiris wanted to “fight” the Indian army, the latter would “fight backwith all [its] force”.
He added that the Indian security forces have not been “so brutal” to theKashmiris. “Look at Syria and Pakistan,” he insisted. “They use tanks andair power in similar situations.”
He then admitted that the Kashmiri people have grievances but warned that“throwing stones at the forces isn’t the way”.
The Indian general expressed surprise that the Burhan Wani encounterincited so much “anger” in the people of Kashmir.
“(The Burhan Wani encounter) wasn’t the first such encounter in Kashmir,’’he said. “I am still trying to understand where did all that anger comefrom. The youth have gotten themselves in Pakistan’s trap. They are beingconsistently incited to attack us.”
India-held Kashmir has seen an explosion of protests against Indian rulesince government forces shot and killed Burhan Wani in 2016.
The death of the charismatic 23-year-old, who had built up a big followingon social media, sparked an outpouring of grief and anger that spilled intothe streets and led to months of clashes with security forces.
“We had to tell people that *azadi* isn’t happening,” Rawat insisted. “Wehad to establish the writ [of the state].”
He admitted that a military solution to the Kashmir issue was not possibleand the army wanted politicians to visit the area and “talk to people”.
“But [the politicians] are scared that they will be attacked,’’ he said.
He also regretted that tourism in the area had been affected due to theKashmiri struggle.
Separatists have been fighting since 1989 against the roughly half amillion Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independenceor a merger of the entire disputed region with Pakistan.