Our introspection therefore needs to focus on in-house measures which are within our means and capability and have little to do with external influences, political pressure, bureaucratic interference and the like. Some of these measures could be as follows:-
- Reduction of deployment in Counter Insurgency Grid both in J&K and North East must be given a serious thought. If the Army Chief claims on Army Day 2005 that infiltration has reduced to only ten percent, then why the ever increasing deployment? There are a far more number of Rashtriya Rifles Sectors, Sub Sectors and battalions. Then why should divisions from the East be sucked into Counter Insurgency Grid? There is an urgent need to objectively look at this bottomless pit which is fast becoming a black hole. It would provide much needed solace to our soldiers whose training, peace-field tenures, ethos, culture and regimental spirit is under serious threat. Combating insurgency must not be allowed to become a vested interest for awards, promotions and prestigious courses.
- Army also has to put its foot down and tell the Govt of the day what its rightful role is and how it is being diluted due to continuous demands to combat insurgency which is a result of years of neglect of the civilian population by the civil administration and genuine grievances. No insurgency can be finished by military means alone. It has to be a well coordinated effort by the civil administration and security forces with primary responsibility being that of civil administration.
Also read: Bureaucratic Mischief with the Military!
- Combating insurgency needs a synergized effort in media management and approach to human rights. There has been an improvement in this respect but an institutionalized approach is yet to evolve. ARTRAC, that top heavy organization needs to focus on this and make itself useful by coming out with a doctrine which should then be imparted in all courses and all schools of instructions.
- Awards need to be made more broad based rather than excessively focusing on terrorists killed and weapons captured. An obsession with these two results in fake encounters on one hand and perpetuating present deployment on the other. It needs to be understood that those performing the primary role of border guarding are also doing their jobs as are those training in peace stations.
Also read: Seven blunders that will haunt India for posterity
Time has come when the Army cannot pretend anymore that everything is hunky dory. The problem has to be faced head on. Unless force reduction in counter insurgency grid is carried out and emphasis resorted on Army’s time honoured ways of functioning, its peace-field tenures, it’s training and regimental system, the Army will fail to perform. That nightmare must haunt the hierarchy.
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