Click to play videoKashmir: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that troop cuts in the Valley is not possible. According to a report prepared by the Azad government cross border infiltration has been rising and it would not be feasible to reduce troops in such a scenario.
The People's Democratic Party (PDP), which is a part of the ruling coalition, has been demanding a reduction in the numbers of soldiers but that looks unlikely for now.
The months of March and April in 2007 have seen 92 infiltration bids which are more than double the number in the same period last year. In the last six days alone, four infiltration attempts have been made.
"Since March the level of violence has gone up. I have figures with me and in the last two-three months the number of civilians killed have gone up to 110, number of militants killed 146. The total number of incidents is 356,'' Azad says.
Azad says intelligence reports suggest militants could increase violence in the run-up to next year's elections and the no to troop reduction is echoed by the defence ministry too.
"We still don't believe that things have been restored to normalcy and that is why army is present," Union Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju says.
Sources say the Unified Command Council, headed by Azad and comprising the Army Corps Commander, and heads of Police, paramilitary and intelligence agencies have also expressed concern over rising infiltration.
Even as the troop cut suggestions have been virtually shot down, Congress coalition partner, PDP will use this emotive issue as a whip not only to beat political rivals but to better party's prospects for forthcoming polls.
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