’Jawans need to be on guard’

'Jawans need to be on guard'

According to Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen (retd) Moti Dhar, the terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore yesterday, the mutiny in Bangladesh Rifles and ongoing war between Sri Lankan army and LTTE can affect India as well.
Speaking to MiD DAY's Chandran Iyer, he advises the government and jawans to be wide-awake

How do you see the instances of terror and turmoil in our neighbouring countries?
What's happening in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and especially in Pakistan is a matter of grave concern. The terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore yesterday has reinforced perceptions that Pakistan is unable to control the raging militancy on its soil.
Besides, such events can have a far-reaching effects on India and hence, it demands high-level attention from New Delhi.

Who do you think could be behind the attack?
It's quite premature to name anybody at this juncture. But the manner in which the attacks were carried on insinuates the involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba, which works hand in glove with al-Qaida.

The Pakistani government and Taliban fighters have agreed to a permanent ceasefire in northwestern Swat Valley. Do you think Pakistan has bowed down in front of Taliban?
Definitely. It's very sad and will only encourage Taliban to create similar situations elsewhere. Moreover, the decision taken by the Pakistani government shows the flimsy nature of peace talks that were going on in northwestern Pakistan, which has become a stronghold of al-Qaida and Taliban.

Moving on to Bangladesh, how do you seeu00a0 Bangladesh in wake of mutiny by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)?
The mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles can have serious consequences on India. As the Bangladesh army is taking extreme actions against the BDR personnel, there is a possibility that some of them might even infiltrate into India. Hence, the Border Security Force (BSF) jawans need to be on guard and keep a close vigil on the Indo-Bangla border.

Even in Sri Lanka, the Lankan army is one the verge on launching their final attack on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). How do you see its upshots in India?
The Sri Lankan government had said that the LTTE is holding Tamil civilians hostage and it's imperative for them to save their civilians. However, this can result to Tamil refugees slither into Tamil Nadu to seek shelter.

Brahma Chllaney, professor of strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research had said that India's internal security would come under pressure. Your comment onu00a0 same...
Obviously. We are living amidst a volatile neighbourhood and the events taking place there can definitely affect us. Hence, we'll have to do all we can to ensure that LeT and Taliban don't infiltrate into India fomenting trouble in Kashmir and other parts of our country.
What's happening in Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a cause of trouble for India but also for the entire world. If al-Qaida can target the twin towers in US, then which country is safe?

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