National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Saturday said Pakistan is bent on creating trouble in Kashmir, where normalcy can be restored only if the neighbouring nation “starts behaving” and “stops indulging in subversive propaganda.”
He said according to intelligence reports some 230 terrorists were prowling along LoC in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, some of whom have sneaked into border areas to create trouble, which includes intimidating traders and locals to prevent them from carrying out their normal business.
Speaking to a select group of Indian and foreign journalists, the NSA also highlighted the case of two Punjabi-speaking terrorists whose conversations with their Pakistani handlers were intercepted, in which they were reprimanded by Pakistani handlers for not doing their job properly and were warned that Pakistan would send them bangles if they didn’t do something quickly to disrupt the law and order situation in J&K.
Thereafter, the two men went to the residence of a prominent fruit merchant in Sopore, Hamidullah Rather, to intimidate him on Friday. Not finding Rather at home, the terrorists shot and injured his 25-year-old son, Mohammad Irshad, and his two-and-a-half-year old daughter Asma Jaan, who is critical, Doval said. Jaan is being airlifted to New Delhi for treatment at AIIMS, he said.
Asked what India will do if Pakistan continues with its ways, Doval said, “There is a solution to every problem.” He, however, did not elaborate.
Doval justified the restrictions imposed on mobile phone and Internet services in J&K, saying they can easily be used by Pakistan and terrorists for subversive activities, but the it should not prevent people from going about their normal lives.
“In any society, people always want more. But to us their life is more important,” he said, adding that 92.5 per cent of the geographical area of J&K is without restrictions.
Out of 199 police station areas, restrictions are in place in only in places under 10 police districts.
Reflecting the Government thinking, Doval said, “I am fully convinced that a majority of Kashmiris totally support the abrogation of Article 370.” In the removal of Article 370, announced on August 5, “they (Kashmiris) see greater opportunities, a better future, more jobs for youths.”
“There is a vocal minority that opposes it. It appears to people that that is the voice of the people. That is not necessarily true.” he said.
Article 370 was only a tool of the political class to make money through corruption, he said. “For the common man there was nothing.” “Article 370 was not a special status. It was a special discrimination. With its abrogation we have brought Kashmiris on par with Indians,” he said, adding the restrictions in Kashmir were to prevent Pakistan from creating more mischief through proxies and terrorists.
On the political detentions, he said they are preventive in nature and very much allowed under the law, which means the Government is answerable to courts.
“If anybody is interested in restoring normalcy in Jammu & Kashmir, it is India,” Doval said..
“We will not allow people to become victims of Pakistan’s machinations and its bullets sent across the border. We will do everything in power to protect the people,” said the NSA.
On a question about the alleged human rights abuses by the Army, Doval pointed out that it is only the local police and Central paramilitary forces that are deployed to maintain law and order. So, there is no question of atrocities by the Army, whose job is only to fight terrorists.