Youth rushing towards encounter sites and incidents of stone-pelting on the forces during encounters are worrying and alarming signs of the sense of alienation and disenchantment in Kashmir
— NC spokesperson
Junaid Azim Mattu
India's arrogance and stale thinking is the basic reason for continuous bloodshed and political uncertainty in the State. People of the State, and particularly the youth, are up against this hegemony and suppression.
— Hurriyat chairman
Syed Ali shah Geelani
The Indian Army chief must realise that he cannot scare a nation that has sacrificed more than a hundred thousand of its men, women, youth and children during ongoing resistance movement. This statement may add to the miseries of Kashmiris, but it will also push many youth to the wall and, drive them towards arms struggle, and hence promote violence in this region.
— Chairman of Jammu and
Kashmir liberation Front
Yasin Malik
There should be action against the stone pelters and whoever works against national interest as national interest is supreme. Whatever the Army chief has said, he has said that in national interest. There is no need to misinterpret it. There is nothing wrong in the Army chief's statement.
— Union Minister of State for Home
Kiren Rijiju
Yes, the Army chief is correct. It is, therefore, important for the Army chief to go and arrest and take action against whoever may be, whether he is from political dispensation or he is from civil authorities. Action must be taken against every anti-national element.
— Congress leader
Tom Vadakkan
While New Delhi doesn't get tired of claiming Kashmiris as its own people, the threat given by General Rawat has exposed the claim. The threat is a confession that militants have mass support and calling them terrorists is not the solution. His warning can be his professional compulsion, but New Delhi must see and analyse it beyond that.
— Independent MlA
Engineer Abdul Rashid
Indian military and political leadership had no other option but to come to grips with the reality that the Kashmir issue cannot be dealt with military might or with threats of war but by involving all parties to the Kashmir dispute in a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue process. This could also help end political uncertainty in the entire South Asia.
— Separatist leader
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
The Army chief's comments are intemperate. The issue is a political problem which needs a political solution and a political reach-out. I am worried and I request the Government to halt this approach and adopt a different one. More infiltration and encounters are taking place, and things are getting very bad.
— Former Union Minister
P Chidambaram