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| 27 November 2004 | Saturday | 14 Shawwal 1425 |
'India sending more forces to Kashmir'
NEW DELHI, Nov 26: India could be sending more troops into Jammu and Kashmir than it is pulling out from there, masking a public commitment by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with palliatives that do not match the commitment
, NDTV news channel reported on Friday.
Questions are being raised whether the much publicized troops withdrawal are for real, NDTV's defence correspondent Ajai Shukla said in a report from the region. For instance, an infantry battalion, 3 MAHAR, is moving out of the state after the prime minister announced troop cuts in the state.
"But the battalion is moving out from Uri, not because of the PM's promise, but since it was earmarked months ago for peacekeeping in Congo. The battalion had a full tenure of two years in the region," the report said. "And its 800 men have been replaced by over a thousand from a new Rashtriya Rifles battalion."
Since the Indian Army needs to show that troops are moving out of Jammu and Kashmir, NDTV said that the amry's Public Relation Officer is shipping in the press to cover the proceedings.
It is certainly a media spectacle. The entire local media has been brought and told that the movement is a part of troop reductions from the valley. "But NDTV has learnt that it is just a normal troop turnover.
This unit has finished its two years in the valley and has been replaced by another unit. And it is not a one-off case, the story is same nearly all over Jammu and Kashmir.
The number of men with guns is going up, not down," said Mr Shukla, who has covered wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He said from the Jammu region, an infantry brigade of about 3500 men moved out from Sundarbani, in front of a blaze of cameras.
"But far from the spotlight, three new Rashtriya Rifles battalions, with about 3500 soldiers, are being readied to take their place." Also moved out from Kashmir are two infantry battalions of about 2,000 men, while replacing them are three Rashtriya Rifles battalions.
But these new battalions entered Jammu and Kashmir in August, to undergo training. "And so the Army insists that they meet the letter of the PM's commitment," the report said.
Indian Army Chief NC Vij has denied NDTV's report of more troops being sent to Jammu and Kashmir, calling the report a figment of imagination, the channel said. "However, he has not given any other details," it added.
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