Interview with outgoing Army Commander in Kashmir
We tried to introduce the concept of ‘Intellectual soldiering’, which lays emphasis on solving conflict not through weapon or violence but through other means: Gen Hasnain:
‘Kashmir is not a military problem’
‘I introduced intellectual soldiering”
‘250 helicopter sorties in 20 months’
‘People have realized futility of violence’
‘Ripple effect of Afghanistan cannot be ruled out’
‘Military face is not visible’
‘Infiltration has gone down’
‘Trust deficit existed on ground’
• How would you look back at 20 months of your tenure in Kashmir? I came here with a lot of positivity associated with my image. The situation, here was very negative. I didn’t know where to start initially. However, the best thing that happened to me was my experience and knowing lot of people here. It helped me to reach out right from the beginning. Instead of taking immediate decisions, I started with consultations and in hindsight that was the best decision we took. In Kashmir, there are enough people with domain specializations. We consulted almost all of them. I call it ‘Ideating session’. I spent almost one month on this exercise. Very important personalities from the field of education, social work, administration, media and common people of Kashmir came forward, willingly, with their valuable suggestions.
‘Kashmir is not a military problem’
‘I introduced intellectual soldiering”
‘250 helicopter sorties in 20 months’
‘People have realized futility of violence’
‘Ripple effect of Afghanistan cannot be ruled out’
‘Military face is not visible’
‘Infiltration has gone down’
‘Trust deficit existed on ground’
• How would you look back at 20 months of your tenure in Kashmir? I came here with a lot of positivity associated with my image. The situation, here was very negative. I didn’t know where to start initially. However, the best thing that happened to me was my experience and knowing lot of people here. It helped me to reach out right from the beginning. Instead of taking immediate decisions, I started with consultations and in hindsight that was the best decision we took. In Kashmir, there are enough people with domain specializations. We consulted almost all of them. I call it ‘Ideating session’. I spent almost one month on this exercise. Very important personalities from the field of education, social work, administration, media and common people of Kashmir came forward, willingly, with their valuable suggestions.
After all these discussions, we put together a concept. And the concept was very clear that we had to enhance the image of the army. There’s no doubt that the army already had a people friendly image but there were lurking doubts of suspicions. We already had a lot of inimical and interested parties who like to smear the name of the army with manipulated/concocted stories in many ways about the army to make sure that army doesn’t get popular. We thought the best way of overcoming this was to have a direct reach to people. And this was done through two things. The first was to make everyone understand the basic Kashmiri culture and sensitivities of the people of Kashmir. This paid off. We tried to introduce the concept of ‘Intellectual soldiering’, which lays emphasis on solving conflict not through weapon or violence but through other means. This led to a culture of better understanding, direct outreach to people and a perception that army is very genuine in addressing the concerns of the people. I cannot under any circumstances claim that we turned the tide and that we have acquired a totally positive image. 20 months are very short. I think we made a very good beginning which has to carry on.
• Do you think your successor will be able to carry your legacy forward? I want to express gratitude to the leadership of the army including the Army Chief, Northern Command and the entire rank and file of the army. Our efforts towards turning around the image and doing something for the people of Kashmir was taken in the right spirits and greatly appreciated. This led to the encouragement of doing much more. We could have been disappointed right at the beginning but the positive response from every section of the society actually helped us. Having created such an aura about the army, I want to thank State administration for providing their support. J&K Police really came on board with us and assisted us in every way. We felt that we could make a difference. Army is a very professional organization. When we want to do something, we don’t like to attach labels to personalities. We like to institutionalize. I would say in all humility that if people are saying that I have been successful in achieving what we wanted to achieve, then they must also give me the credit for setting up a system in place and institutionalized the concept we are following so that it can remain in place. Any good leader and a professional officer will never want to see his work being fitter away in the wake of his move out. The stage is set and the message is already delivered that more needs to be done in a situation like Kashmir.• What has changed in these 20 months? I think people have understood the futility of violence. This a major change where people have realized that it will ultimately be working against them and the future generation. Besides, a realization has also come that Kashmir and Kashmiris are losing out in a world, which is moving forward very rapidly. I am particularly referring to the fields of education, overall globalization, improvement of basic skills, revival of old world culture, arts and crafts and most importantly improvement in the quality of life. Violence is therefore the last thing on the minds of people. On the streets of Kashmir, we still find agitations. We do not take such agitations in a cursory way. We give it a level of seriousness and ensure we do as much as possible to improve the quality of life.
• We have talked about the transition phase in Kashmir like moving from a stage of violence to non-violence. But in practicality, people here have a grudge towards the country that this transition is not acknowledged and efforts are not being made to capitalize on this and reach out to people politically. In 65 years, there has not been complete integration and political normalcy has not existed in the state. And for the last 22 years, we have seen violence. Now in the last one and a half years of good times, it is too much to expect anything substantial on political level. I think it will happen, if we have two more years of peace and if same methods are adopted both from the government and the army.
• You have said earlier also that it will take time to resolve the issue of Kashmir. How long do you think it will take? We shall not confuse the political solution with the political outreach of the establishment to make use of the prevailing environment in the valley today. These are two different things. One is bringing a political space to the normalcy, which is not coming about. And the other is finding political solution to Kashmir. What I am referring to is giving political space to the normalcy, which is coming. As far as finding a political solution is concerned, it is anybody’s guess. It will require huge amount of leadership and a conducive atmosphere not only in South Asia but in its immediate peripheries as well. So I think it is too premature to comment on the political solution of Kashmir. We are looking at the last 18-20 months as permanent. It may not be permanent. It can be turned around
• You mean Kashmir can go back to violence? It can happen. We don’t know what is happening in Afghanistan. I know you don’t agree with me on the ripple effects of Afghanistan but I still hold that view. The situation is so complex around India, Pakistan and Afghanistan that we cannot predict the dynamics of what is going to happen in next 2-3 years.
