[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Panellists flay tendency of political parties to blame each other, and say that a stronger pro-active approach is needed
Four militants and a soldier were killed in an encounter that broke out this morning in Nadigam village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district. Two other Armymen were injured in the gunbattle. On Sunday, there was a terror attack in Punjab. APN’s popular debate Mudda discussed the issue of terrorism, the alleged Pakistani hand behind it and the government’s response. Anchorperson Anant Tyagi posed questions to panellists including BJP’s Anand Sahu, Congress’s Ajay Upadhyay, defence experts former Wing Commander Praful Bakshi and retired Colonel Shivdan Singh and APN consultant Govind Pant Raju.
Sahu said: “Operation All-Out has been effective in instilling fear among militants. The government has achieved success in dealing with terror, but fingers will be pointed at the government till terrorism is down to zero. Even Pakistan knows that abetting terror is not to its good, but it remains the biggest factory of terrorism.”
Anant then proceeded to list out names of jawans killed in terror attacks. Sahu wanted Anant to read out the names of militants killed. To This Anant said jawans don’t get recruited to get killed.
Bakshi said: “We keep saying that ‘we are killing militants’, but militants should be killed right from the source of their origin. We know PoK, we know their camps, we have attack helicopters and so on, but political will is missing.”
Singh said: “When Arab nations attacked Israel, each citizen of Israel behaved like its soldier. Pakistan is the chief exporter of militants. Everybody knows Imran Khan is propped up by militant groups. There is a new concept these days called ’hybrid war’, which means the state doesn’t attack directly. This is exactly what Pak is doing.”
Raju said: “Pak is weakening globally. You can make out from Trump’s recent remarks on Pakistan. It’s terror attempts must be foiled.”
Uopadhyay said: ”The earlier Congress was determined to have a pro-active approach. The intention of the current dispensation is not clear.”
Bakshi said:”Army does not have a free hand. To get clearances, army needs to contact PM or President. In Kashmir Valley, there should be one unified command under the army only.”
Sahu said: “After taking oath, PM Modi held talks with neighbours to send signals to all that there should not be any untoward act. There is nothing wrong in the PM hobnobbing with Pak leaders. After all, dialogue has to emerge to solve this issue.”
Singh said:”Why are army forces dealing with stone pelting? Who is funding stone pelting? Why can’t we attack the source?”
Bakshi said: “In Pak, the army is calling the shots. Here the situation is different. It is getting difficult to control militancy.”
Raju said: “The US is cutting aid to Pak. Trump is openly talking against Pakistan. “
Upadhyay said:”This government is only good at chest thumping in a boastful way. We need to assess what we have gained in the last 4.5 years. The tough agenda against Pak seems to have softened of late.”
Sahu said: “The biggest enemy on Kashmir issue is Congress. Its policies weakened the anti-terrorism story. Congress should not be allowed to derail the anti-terror drive.”
Singh said: “There are three things in dealing with militancy: Place, information and action. How many people have been brought to book? No one seems to have any fear of the law. Foreign funding has to come down. Internal agencies have to control terrorist activity. Where are the fast-track courts? Rate of acquittal is very low.”
Raju said:”The Congress is blaming BJP, and BJP is blaming Congress. We need to talk of what we are doing on the ground. Instead of putting the ball in the other’s court, the government’s policies need to be looked at closely.”
—Compiled by Niti Singh Bhandari
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