Heart as a weapon

Heart as a weapon

Maligning the army and security forces has been one of the major weapons used by those who instigated and abetted armed insurgency in Kashmir. Maligning campaign intensified when some political parties engaged in mutual rivalry, found it easy to win favour with the separatists by indirectly supporting the anti-army canard. Indian army is one of the world's most disciplined army, which it has proved at a number of times. Even in a disturbed place like Kashmir, army has been doing a number of social activities for the good of general public. Its para medical units have been extending field medical aid to the needy patients in far off areas, which have far less accessibility; running schools in some backward villages, helping supply of drinking water, promoting bharat darshan visits of school going children, interacting with civil society members and elders, organizing exhibitions, tournaments, hiking teams and socializing with civilians on festivities and melas. Our army is an amalgam of soldiers of all faiths and languages. It is a wonderful mosaic and represents India in all of its cultural facets.

This is what 15 Corps Commander, Lt. General Hasnain told at a recent press briefing in North Kashmir. He was very right in saying that the army was using heart as a weapon meaning that the army was trying to win the hearts of people. It has to be reminded that ever since 1947 extremely cordial relations existed between the army and the civilian population in Kashmir. There was always and even today as well a brisk intercourse between the two. Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris earn their bread through army connection like contractors, labourers, porters, suppliers of mutton, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruit, firewood, timber, building material etc. Army flushed out enormous funds under these heads of expenditure and all the money went to the pockets of the local people. Villagers far and wide in the valley fully remember the rescue works undertaken by the army jawans during floods, fire, cloud bursts and other natural calamities. Herdsmen and shepherds tending cattle on upper reaches remember how army veterinary jawans helped them save their herds and flocks from disease and fatal disabilities. And above all, people in the valley cannot forget the sacrifices of precious lives which army jawans made in protecting their life property and honour. All this cannot go down the drain just because some selfish and short sighted politicians are obsessed with their self-aggrandizement which they think would come their way by painting the army in black colour.