Srinagar: Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has said that the tolerance levels of the people in Kashmir have “reduced and perceived alienation” as the youth in the region is being “indoctrinated to act irrationally.”

“In recent times, the tolerance levels of the public in Kashmir have reduced and perceived alienation is indicative of a definitive aspirational deficit amongst the local youth. The Kashmiri youth is being indoctrinated to act irrationally. The proliferation of social media has further compounded the challenge and contributes towards the spread of an anti-establishment narrative,” he said.

Rawat was delivering the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Army chief said, “Perceptions in Jammu and Kashmir is based on whose story you are listening to. Thus, making peace narrative is very different. These narratives are built around the constructs of radicalization, alienation, agitation, religious fundamentalism and anti-nationalism on one hand and the perception of a Kashmiri common man on the other.”

Talking about Jammu and Kashmir, the Army chief said, “Things will be brought under control and are being brought under control, but sustained pressure needs to be maintained.” Rawat also expressed concern over allowing funeral processions of terrorists. He said that those who are glorifying terrorists as brave hearts are “possibly trying encouraging more people to join the terrorist ranks.”

The Army Chief’s comments come after two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans sustained injuries on Wednesday in a stone-pelting incident in Kashmir’s Budgam district. A group of people resorted to stone pelting during an ongoing encounter between the security forces and the terrorists in Chathergram village. (Agencies)