NEW DELHI – Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat has once again warnedPakistan and expressed confidence that the forces are ever vigilant andalways prepared to deal with any situation.

Reacting to the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and thecurrent deployment of forces in the state, General Rawat on Tuesday pointedout that precautionary deployment of troops is undertaken by everyone andthere is no cause for concern.

“If our adversary wishes to activate the LoC (Line of Control), then it ishis choice. Everybody does some precautionary deployment. We should not betoo concerned about it. As far as the Army and other forces are concerned,we have to be always prepared,” said the Indian Army Chief.

He referred to the peaceful situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1970s and80s while wishing that the atmosphere returns to normal soon. “The Army wasdeployed in Kashmir valley even in the 1970s and 80s when we had extremelycordial relations with the people of the region. We used to meet and greeteach other without arms and it will be great if such a cordial situation isback again,” he said.

General Rawat’s comments come just a day after Eid-al-Adha was celebratedpeacefully across the state which lost its special status on August 6,2019, after President Ram Nath Kovind signed the Article 370 gazette. Thesecurity apparatus in the state has been on high alert to tackle the threatof Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the wake of scrapping of Article 370 and35A.

The Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh had alsoreviewed the security situation in Kashmir Valley on Monday. The officerhad met troops deployed in North as well as South Kashmir where he askedthem to maintain vigil and also help the local population and civilauthorities to ensure the well-being of the people.