Terrorists do realise their mistakes : Lt Gen Sabharwal

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) Although terrorism is an act of violence that spreads threat and fear among citizens, terrorists are human beings and they do realise their mistakes, Lt General Mukesh Sabharwal, Adjutant General of Indian Army, has stated.

''Today, there are cases when the arrested terrorists approach us requesting to admit their children in schools for general studies and development inclusively in the mainstream of the society,'' he said.

''This is because they had realised their mistake,'' he added.

Delivering the third Silver Jubilee Lecture at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) here recently, Lt Gen Sabharwal also emphasised on the importance of internal security and said strengthening of local responders was necessary for it.

''Local responders, who involve capacity-building of the state police, para-military and civil forces, inclusive education and effort to change hearts, played a major role in maintaining the internal security of a State,'' he said.

He stressed that presence of mainstream media was also significant.

''The local media people have many kinds of slants and favours, and their reports are not conducive enough to ensure inclusive growth of the society,'' Lt Gen Sabharwal said.

Asked if the Army was doing anything to establish the country’s mainstream media houses in the State and protect them enough to function freely, a brigadier who accompanied the Lt Gen said such possibilities might be realised in gradual process.

Peace is possible through development measures and the Indian Army has taken a number of steps to empower the unemployed youth, women, ensure justice in the civil administration, he asserted.

''The Army believes that the fulcrum of all operations being the populace, all operations must aim at isolating the terrorists from the populace through people-friendly operations,'' he said.

Referring to the two bus services started between India and Pakistan from Uri to Muzaffarabad and Poonch to Rawalkote, he claimed that the feedback received from the passengers revealed that the grass was definitely greener at the India side.

Giving certain facts, he said the statistics between 1985 and 2005 spoke for themselves. ''The per capita income in Kashmir has increased by six times from Rs 2,874 to Rs 17,174. The people below poverty line (BPL) in the state have lessened by eight to 12 times. The imports and industry have increased in the state several times with taxable export value improved from Rs 89,000 lakh to Rs
6,33,000 lakh.''