NEW DELHI: The government plans to bring the presence of the Indian Army from the hinterland of the Kashmir Valley and the process will be implemented in a phased manner. The plan, as per the media reports, is being mooted keeping the decrease in terrorist-related incidents, the success of the ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control and the change in the overall security scenario.
The reports highlight that the Ministries of Defence and Home along with the Armed Forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police are in an advanced stage of discussion to carry out the withdrawal. The Plan is to deploy the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in place of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of the Army to look after the security situation including law and order and counter-terror duties.
As reported, “The matter is under serious discussion at the inter-ministerial level and it is understood to be feasible. In a way, the decision has been taken and it is a matter of when it will be done. Ultimately, however, it will be a political call,” told a senior officer in the security establishment. There are around 45,000 Indian Army soldiers as part of the 63 Units of the Rashtriya Rifles, raised in the 1990s, deployed in Kashmir at present as Counter Terrorism Force.