Situation in Kashmir matter of concern: Antony

BANGALORE - Defence Minister A.K. Antony Tuesday said the fresh wave of violence in Kashmir was a matter of concern.

“The situation in Kashmir is not grim but it is a matter of concern. Even if one incident takes place, it has fallout in the form of violence, unfortunately,” Antony told reporters here on the margins of a defence event.

Asserting that violence in the Kashmir Valley had come down compared to the past, Antony said the number of tourists to Kashmir and Ladakh had more than doubled this year.

“Compared to the past, the situation is better even though occasional violence and incidents are taking place,” Antony said after witnessing the roll-out of the trainer version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Navy.

Noting that infiltration attempts into the border state were increasing, the defence minister said whenever the situation was improving in the Valley, enemies operating from across the border became panicky and jittery.

“There is a conscious and calculated attempt to push more terrorists into Kashmir. But our armed forces, even at the cost of sacrificing their precious lives…are defeating such infiltration attempts,” Antony said.

Expressing concern over the spate of violence in the Valley, Antony reiterated that the security forces were on guard all the time as terror camps were still active across the border..

“Our armed forces are at vigil round the clock,” he said.

Assuring the government’s support for speedy economic development of Kashmir, Antony said the state was not just a beautiful part of India, but also had immense potential for socio-economic growth.

“We will do everything possible for the economic development of the state to maintain normalcy and bring lasting peace in Kashmir,” he added.