Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Warns of Impending Threat at LoC, Says 'Situation Can Escalate Anytime'
While responding to a query in Lok Sabha during the recently convened Winter Session of Parliament, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, M G Kishan Reddy, said a total of 950 incidents of ceasefire violation were recorded between August and October.
New Delhi, December 18: Days before demitting office, Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat warned of an impending threat at the border. The friction with neighbouring Pakistan could explode "anytime", warned Gen Rawat, who is scheduled to retire on December 31. His remarks come amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the stripping of Jammu & Kashmir's semi-autonomous status. Indian Army Jawan Martyred in Heavy Exchange of Fire With Pakistani Forces Along LoC in Sunderbani Sector.
According to Rawat, the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) remains on the brink due to the hostile behaviour of Pakistan. The Indian Army, he said, is prepared for a befitting response "along with the retaliatory matrix".
Rawat's warning, which also sounds as an alarm bell for his successor Lieutenant General Manoj Naravane, comes amid repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan following the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.
While responding to a query in Lok Sabha during the recently convened Winter Session of Parliament, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, M G Kishan Reddy, said a total of 950 incidents of ceasefire violation were recorded between August and October.
The most recent casualty sustained by India in a ceasefire violation was reported on Monday, when two personnel of the Indian Army were killed in separate incidents. While one jawan sustained fatal injuries in cross-border firing in Gurez sector of North Kashmir, another was killed while challenging a suspicious Pakistani troop movement in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri.
Not only the border relations, but diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan have also deteriorated since the August 5 decision of New Delhi to end J&K's special status. The two countries have exchanged heated verbal duels at multilateral platforms over the alleged rights' violations in Kashmir Valley.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2019 07:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).