Kangana appeals to PM Narendra Modi - Page 3

Mincing no words, Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday termed the stone-pelters in Jammu & Kashmir as overground workers of terrorists and asserted that they should be dealt with sternly.

His remarks came a day after a 22-year-old Army jawan was killed in stone-pelting in Kashmir. Rawat also warned Pakistan of "other actions beyond surgical strikes if Islamabad continued to support cross-border terrorism. The Army had carried out surgical strikes against terrorist launch pads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) two years back.

The Army chief's strong reaction here against stone-pelters came after Sepoy Rajendra Singh of Uttrakhand was fatally injured during stone-pelting in Arwani area of Anantnag on Thursday evening. He succumbed to his injuries on Friday in military hospital.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event to mark the Infantry Day, the Army chief, while warning Pakistan, however, did not elaborate on what could be the possible "actions by the forces he was talking about.

Making his position clear, Rawat reiterated his earlier stand that the stone-pelters are nothing but overground workers of terror outfits. "I still say the same... If they (stone-pelters) can kill people with such acts, are they not becoming like terrorists, he said.

"I want to tell them (stone-pelters) that no one will benefit from stone-pelting, said the Army chief, adding tough action should be taken against stone-pelters. He said the Army has got an FIR lodged in the case.

As regards the response to Pakistan's continuing support to terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, Rawat urged Pakistan to desist from doing so asserting that the Indian state is "strong enough to ensure that the border State remains a part of India and no one can take it away by force or any other means.

The Army chief said the neighbouring country was resorting to a "proxy war to avenge its defeat at the hands of India in the 1971 war when Bangladesh was liberated. The aim of Pakistan, he said, is to keep the Indian Army "embroiled in this proxy war that they have lost.

As regards cross-border infiltration, Rawat said Pakistan would be wise to know that by indulging in such activities, harm is coming to Pakistan only. "We are capable of finishing any infiltrators who reach our side. But, if Pakistan continues to support infiltration, we can use other kind of action too, Rawat said.

This year the Army has neutralised at least 35 terrorists trying to sneak in from the LoC.

Rawat said Pakistan was continuing to stoke disturbances in Jammu & Kashmir, fully realising that they will never succeed. "Legitimately, legally and by all rights, J&K is part of India. Pakistan somehow has been trying to annex this part of the country, more so after they lost East Pakistan with liberation of Bangladesh, he said.

Asserting that Pakistan is aware it cannot succeed in Jammu & Kashmir, but it still hopes it can succeed. It is just another way to keep the turmoil going and not allow development in the State, the Army chief added.