Lt Gen Hooda: No reason to connect tragedy with troop withdrawal

Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria,Tribune News Service,Udhampur, February 12

Terming Pakistan’s suggestion of mutual demilitarisation of Siachen following the death of 10 Indian soldiers in an avalanche on February 3 as “unwarranted”, Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda today said he didn’t see any reason at all to connect the tragic incident to any withdrawal of troops from the glacier.Responding to media queries here after an investiture ceremony, he further said, “We are committed to defending our borders and we will continue to do so. That’s absolutely clear to us and there is absolutely no link.”General Hooda, however, said talks had been going on between India and Pakistan but there were some basic conditions that had to be met before any withdrawal could be spoken about.“Some of the basic conditions are not agreeable to Pakistan and therefore an agreement has not taken place. But for anybody to link the Siachen tragedy to withdrawal is absolutely unwarranted and incorrect,” he said.He said India’s stand was very clear on Siachen. “If withdrawal has to take place then actual positions on the ground that has our posts should be authenticated first and should be agreeable to both sides,” he said, adding that this first step was not agreeable to Pakistan and, therefore, an agreement has not taken place.Pakistan has for long been suggesting that India should demilitarise Siachen where it holds strategic heights since 1984 when New Delhi launched “Operation Meghdoot” to pre-empt Islamabad’s move of occupying the 74-km glacier.On Kashmiri youth joining militancy, Lt General Hooda said the Army would do everything possible for rehabilitation of Kashmiri militants provided they surrender and join the mainstream.“From the perspective of security parameters, infiltration is down, actually to one-third of what it was two years ago. A number of top terrorist leaders got killed but we need to view it in the larger perspective. For instance, recruitment is an area of concern for us,” he said.“It is not good that young recruits, who are supposed to be the future of the state and leaders of tomorrow, are actually joining militancy. Frankly, their life span is six months to one year from the day they join. So, it’s a tragedy and I think we all need to look at it,” he said.‘Militants must return to society’ Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda on Friday expressed serious concern over the disturbing trend of young educated Kashmiri youth going astray and turning into gun-wielding militants. He said the Army would do everything possible for rehabilitation of Kashmiri militants provided they surrender and join the mainstream. “Yes, surrender and come back to society, I am saying this openly today. Those, who have not committed heinous crimes, we will help them in their rehabilitation. We will help them in any respect but our appeal to them is that they should come back and join society.” said Lt General Hooda.

Govt turns down Army’s request for tax-free liquor

Samaan Lateef,Tribune News Service,Srinagar, February 12

The state government has turned down the Army’s proposal to exempt it from paying taxes levied on liquor.The Finance Department said the excise duty and import duty charged on liquor manufactured or imported for the Canteen Stores Department and paramilitary forces in the state was less than what was charged from civilians and there was no justification for reducing the import duty (on liquor) further.The Northern Command, during the Civil Military Liaison Conference, had moved a proposal before the state government stating that it should be exempted from paying tax on rum imported from other states of the country.The Finance Department, however, stated that the Army and paramilitary forces in Jammu and Kashmir were already “enjoying sizeable concessions” on excise and import duty.The State Excise Department on September 1, 2015, had issued a notification to revise the charges levied on Indian made foreign liquor, rum and beer meant for the use of civilians and security forces.As per the 2015 notification under the J&K Excise Act, 1958, the state government brought down the charges levied on liquor consumed by security forces by around 9 per cent in comparison to the charges levied on civilians.For civilians, the excise duty levied on per liter of super deluxe Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) is Rs 220 while as the state government charges only Rs 160 in excise duty for the same volume of liquor brand for security forces.Similarly, the state government levies import duty of Rs 30 per litre on all brands of the IMFL while as for security forces the import duty is Rs 20.The state government earns around Rs 2.25 crore per month in excise or import duty on liquor consumed by the security forces, an official told The Tribune.

‘No justification for reducing import duty’

• The Finance Department has said the excise duty and import duty charged on liquor manufactured or imported for the Canteen Stores Department in the state was less than what was charged from civilians and there was no justification for reducing the import duty (on liquor) further
• The Northern Command, during the Civil Military Liaison Conference, had moved a proposal before the state government stating that it should be exempted from paying tax on rum imported from other states of the country