Warning against communalising the ranks of Indian Army, Lt. General Officer in Command, Northern Command, General Devraj Anbu on Wednesday said, “Indian Army is a ‘ sarv dharam sthal [An abode for all religions]’ and do not communalise troops.”
“We don’t communalise martyrs and those making statements don’t know the Army well... I never doubt anybody’s credentials who are under my Command. They are motivated and patriotic soldiers,” said Lt. Gen. Anbu, while addressing the Investiture Ceremony of the Northern Command.
The statement came a day after All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said five of the seven persons killed in the Sunjuwan attack were Kashmiri Muslims.
“They call Muslims Pakistanis. The militants are killing us too. Terrorists are not seeing that they are Muslims or Hindus. They are considering us Indians. But there are people in our country who doubt our loyalties [sic],” Mr. Owaisi had said.
Lt. Gen. Anbu said a total of 185-220 militants in the south and 190-225 militants in the north of Peer Panjal “are ready for infiltration.”
“The enemy is frustrated and is trying to attack the softer targets. When they fail at borders, they attack camps,” he said.
Describing Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba as “one tanzeem [group]”, the Army commander expressed concern over youngsters, especially in the age group of 20 to 30, joining the terror outfits. “We need to address this trend. In 2017, we focused on leadership and eliminated it. Social media is also responsible for the increase in terror. It is engaging the youth on a large scaleand I think we need to focus on this issue,” he said.
‘Army well-equipped’
He underlined that the Army was well equipped and prepared to foil terrorists’ nefarious designs on the borders as well as the hinterland.
“We have to concentrate on three things, first to stop infiltration, secondly to eliminate the anti-nationals in the hinterland and thirdly to arrest the radical elements active in the region,” he said.
On ceasefire violation, the Army commander said there were more casualties than the official figures of Pakistan, which say 192 Pakistani soldiers were killed in Indian retaliation last year.
