Author: Agencies
Publication: ExpressIndia.com
Date: January 13, 2010
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Crossborder-infiltration-into-JK-on-the-rise-Antony/566919/
Voicing serious concern over rise in infiltration
from Pakistan, Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday attributed it to forces
across the border which are "jittery" over return of normalcy in
Jammu and Kashmir.
"In 2009, violence (in Jammu and Kashmir)
came down, compared to 2008. At the same time, compared to 2008, last year
attempts to infiltrate has gone up. It is a matter of serious concern to us,"
Antony told reporters here.
Giving his assessment of the situation in
the border state, Antony said, "Inimical forces across the border are
jittery" as they saw normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir.
"If the situation continues like this,
J&K will fast return to normalcy and peace. That, militant forces will
not allow.
"When they realised violence level has
come down across the state and tourists are coming and normalcy is coming,
they started making serious attempts to sabotage the situation. That is why
there are more attempts at infiltration," he said on the sidelines of
a CII defence seminar.
Antony held discussion with the Chief Minister
and civil administration in the presence of Army Chief Deepak Kapoor in Jammu
yesterday and directed the security forces to be "more vigilant"
against infiltration attempts this year, particularly at the end of this month.
Antony told the State government that though
the police was becoming efficient in bringing down the violence levels, it
was not possible to "lower the guard" as infiltration attempts were
increasing.
"This increasing number of attempts to
infiltrate is a matter of serious concern. So, we cannot lower our guard.
We have to be more vigilant and be prepared to face serious threats at any
time this year, particularly in January," he said.
