General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, N-orthern Command (GOC-in-C), Lt. Gen. K.T. Parnaik on Saturday maintained that the “Army will take action in the best interests of the state and the country if the situation worsens resulting into the law and order problem over the issue of flag hoisting in the Valley on Republic Day and if the Army is called to assist the civil administration.”
The Army commander was interacting with the media after the culmination of the investiture ceremony in the border town Akhnoor where 62 soldiers of the Northern Command were awarded gallantry medals on the occasion of Army Day.
Responding to a query related to BJP’s plan about the hoisting of tricolour at Lal Chowk on Republic Day, Lt. Gen. Parnaik reiterated that law and order is a state subject but the Army is well prepared to meet any situation. “It is the responsibility of the state and the state police to handle this. However, the way it has come up, if the situation worsens and the law and order problem is created and the Army is called out to assist the administration, let me assure you, we will take actions which are in the best interest of the state and the country,” he reassured.
On account of reduction of troops and the withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), his reply was curt and in line with the known stand of Army. “The situation at present is not conducive for withdrawal of troops... It’s a very dynamic process, you have peace somewhere, you have instability somewhere else and this situation keeps on changing. I don’t think it is right time for us to think of troop reduction as of now. As far as AFSPA is concerned, our soldiers are fighting a difficult battle against terrorists in the state. They need protection under AFSPA and it is very necessary for them to operate smoothly. Already a committee was framed to discuss AFSPA but in my opinion it is necessary.”
Regarding Chinese incursion too, he reiterated, “These are not incursions. There is no clearly demarcated boundary... There are transgressions and these are sorted out at flag meetings between the two countries.”