NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Thursday advocated putting radicals in de-radicalisation camps, while revealing for the first time that India is already running such camps in Kashmir.
He also warned that the war on terror was not about to end soon while admitting that terrorism in Kashmir had to be dealt with a “heavy hand”.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, he said, “There has to be a hardline approach in dealing with terrorism, the way the US went after terror groups after the 9/11 terror attacks.”
“Those completely radicalised have to be taken out separately and put in such camps,” General Rawat said.
“We have such camps; even Pakistan is doing the same....Pakistan started de-radicalisation camps when they understood that some of the terrorism that they have been sponsoring is actually affecting them.”
He opined that radicalisation can be countered by getting to the root and segregating those who are radicalised.
Talking about the youth in Kashimir getting radicalised, the CDS said they can be isolated gradually.
“Today we are seeing radicalisation among girls and boys as young as 12. These people can still be isolated in a gradual way. But there are people who have completely been radicalised,” he said.
The CDS, however, denied allegations of the forces being “heavy-handed,” saying they have used the pellet guns “sparingly” and that the reason for the “high casualties in the services is that the first bullet is being taken by the soldiers”.
General Rawat warned that “so long as there are States that sponsor terrorism, there will be terrorism. We need to take the bull by its horns and strike at the root cause”. He suggested diplomatic isolation of the States sponsoring terrorism with Financial Action Task Force blacklisting them.
“You cannot have partners who are partnering global war on terrorism and yet sponsoring terrorism. Any country which is sponsoring terrorism has to be taken to task,” he said.
Asked if he supported negotiations with the Taliban, he said peace talks should be initiated with everybody provided they give up the “weapon of terrorism”.
Jaishankar, Zarif discuss Gulf situation
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and held talks on the situation in the Gulf region following the escalating tensions between the US and Iran.
According to officials, the Iranian foreign minister apprised Jaishankar about the overall situation.
The two sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the current situation in the Gulf, and deliberated on the Iran nuclear deal of 2015, the MEA said.
Chabahar Port, a joint venture between Iran, India and Afghanistan, also featured in the talks.