JALANDHAR: The Indian Army renewed its pressure on the Rao administration to take political measures in Punjab to control the situation. Without saying so in clear terms Lt Gen B.K.N. Chhibber G.O.C in Charge of a Corps which covers most of Punjab hinted that the Amy was in favor of political Steps in Punjab. The terms he used to convey the idea were “The Army could create a situation in which efforts could be to solve the Punjab problem and it must be solved.”

The Army General addressed media persons especially from Jalandhar and Chandigarh to give them a briefing on Punjab. Evidently the Army’s aim was not merely to announce formally their “withdrawal from Punjab in phases commencing from July but also to set the record straight in respect of the Army’s role vis-a-vis the extravagant claims made by police officers.

Senior police officers at Chandigarh through the media had been trying to project the Indian Army’s presence in Punjab as of little consequence to the situation while claiming all the “credit” for the large scale killings of militants during the past few months. This propaganda seemingly hurt the Army’s top brass who had neither the links with the media nor the police officers political to protect their own views.

The Jalandhar briefing was targeted to neutralize the police propaganda against the Army. “We have deliberately underplayed the Army’s role in Punjab because we felt that we must not show off. We have been ascribing all successes achieved by us to security forces. We had told the State government that we will claim no reward we are here to serve a Cause; not to build personalities.” This statement is evidently aimed at Punjab police chief K.P.S. Gill who is said to be trying to build his own personality cult.

The Army also organized a demonstration to show the effect of “support operations” by the troops in handling militants. It was clear to journalists watching the show that the hazardous task of isolating militants who had taken shelter in a make-believe village was performed by the Army while the police played a peripheral role.

Asked by a newsman whether the police and Para-military forces would be able to tackle the situation without the Army’s support Gen Chhibber said “It is a tricky question.” The general said that the Army’s presence in Punjab had emboldened the police and other Para-military forces to launch Operations at night. People in the villages feel safe to carry out their day-today work.

The general also claimed that the Army did not organize a single fake encounter ever since its presence in Punjab beginning in November. This claim again is directed against the high-profile state police officers who make too much of their success vis-a-vis the Army. Observers feel that the Army claim about fake encounters is by and large correct. The army evidently felt that the situation in Punjab summoned to the extent as a result of police enforces and fake encounters.

Political observers in Punjab felt that the style of the Army’s operation in Punjab sprang from its assessment that the situation was Not irretrievable for India It thought that the movement in Punjab had lite popular support and that it was all “terrorism” rather than insurgency. That was why the Army tried what it thought were “gentle ways” of dealing with the Sikhs in rural areas of Punjab. The Army built bridges at many places cleaned village ponds even cleared the village roads of the dust and organized sundry civic services to appeal to Sikhs to isolate militants.

For these reasons the police officers who favor ruthless ways to crush Sikhs even ran a smear campaign against the Army describing its role in Punjab as that of “Mother Teresa.” Actually what irritated the police was the fact that at many places the Army checkmated and even apprehended “black cats” let out by distinct police with the convenience of the state police chief and the Indian government. These “black cats” went about at night in villages to loot them at gun point. The Army also neutralized several gangs of anti-social elements a common target of the Army as well as the militants.

While the Punjab chief minister and the Hindu population of Punjab are feeling the pinch of the Army’s proposed withdrawal and are pleading for their continued presence the states police forces are happy at the possibility of their leaving away once again.

General Chhibber also made the following points in the course of his Press briefing:

Describing the “war-like situation” in the state he said presently the level of “terrorism” was in the “resistance phase” and would hopefully not last more than two months “It would require about two months more of hard work to contain the level of terrorism within reasonable limits.”

The level of weapons smuggling and infiltration of “terrorists” from along the 553-km long Punjab stretch of the Indo-Pakistan border had been reduced to a “negligible level.” The writ of the “terrorists” who earlier used to move about freely has been destroyed a large number of “terrorists” have either been eliminated or apprehended collection of taxes by “terrorists” has been checked and kidnappings and “terrorists strikes” have been reduced he said.

Gen. Chhibber expressed concern over the use of improvised explosive devices (EDs) by the militants in a big way “The ED has a greater impact. It can achieve more casualties in fewer incidents unlike in shootouts which expose the “terrorists” w greater risks” he explained He admitted that recruitment to the “terrorist ranks™ had increased although the availability of weapons was on the wane forcing the militants to take to more conventional weapons like 303 rifles

Asked whether the police and the paramilitary forces will be able to keep pressure on the militants once the Army withdrew Gen Chhibber remarked “It is very tricky to say whether they will achieve the same results In some cases the security forces have fought well in some cases they have not. Their training is not that good which explains why they have been succeeding only after suffering a high rate of casualties whereas we have been doing the same job with lesser casualties

He disclosed that the Army was planning to train 20000 police personnel besides helping the state government raise seven new battalions which would be fully gained and equipped to fight “terrorism.”

Gen. Chhibber said Army units under 11 Corps deployed in seven districts of the state had treated nearly two lakh people in 145 medical eye and dental camps organized since November last year. Medicines worth Rs.8 lakh were distributed free.

The Army constructed seven bridges repaired 74 tracks leveled lands and repaired 76school buildings. The Army also recruited 665 candidates during 13 recruiting rallies. He said they had adopted 104 villages for development work.

The Army with the police and Para-military forces laid out 1334 cordons carried out more than 121 patrols and executed more than 3400 ambushes in the past six months

During these operations 120 militants were killed and 175 captured while 56 surrendered. He said 92 rifles of the AK series and 117 other weapons were recovered between December last year and last month.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 19, 1992