Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha: I take full onus for Pahalgam, was a security failure

LG Manoj Sinha , who completes five years at J&K Raj Bhavan, told TOI’s Bharti Jain that the Pahalgam terror attack was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. “The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide .” “I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure .”

Excerpts from the interview:

Has the Pahalgam attack shattered the myth that terrorism is on the wane in J&K?
What happened in Pahalgam was very unfortunate; innocent people were brutally killed. I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure. The common belief here has been that terrorists do not target tourists. The location where the attack took place is an open meadow. There is no facility or room for security forces to be present there.

This was a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack. The arrests made by NIA in the case corroborate local involvement but it would still be wrong to conclude that the security environment in J&K stands completely vitiated. The attack was a debilitating and deliberate strike on the nation’s soul. The intention of the neighbour (Pakistan) was to create a communal divide and trigger a backlash against the people of J&K living in other parts of the country, adding to the feeling of alienation.

Pakistan doesn’t want J&K to be peaceful and prosperous. In the past five years, the J&K economy’s size has doubled. Tourists have been flocking in high numbers. This (attack) was a hit by Pakistan at the economic well-being of Kashmir. But condemnation and protests by the people of Kashmir following the attack provided a befitting reply to Pakistan and terror outfits. They were clear signs that terrorism is not acceptable here anymore.

There has been no attack in J&K since Operation Sindoor . Do you think this will hold?
Operation Sindoor has drawn red lines for Pakistan. India has made it clear that any terror attack will be considered an act of war. The manner in which our forces carried out precise hits against terror facilities in Pakistan, and when it tried to target our military and civilian assets, how they destroyed their airbases, conveyed a stern message to Pakistan. Still, a country that has made terrorism its declared state policy, is not to be trusted. I am confident that the home ministry, defence ministry and our intelligence agencies are keeping a watch on Pakistan. But it is a fact that there has been no terror attack in J&K after Operation Sindoor.

Is local involvement in Pahalgam attack a worry for security agencies?
Local terror recruitment is at an all-time low. There has been just one incident of local recruitment this year as compared to 6 to 7 last year; there was a time when this figure used to be 150-200. But it is also a fact that Pakistan has facilitated the infiltration of a large number of terrorists in both Jammu region and Kashmir region.

How has the Pahalgam incident impacted tourism in J&K?
Tourist arrivals had almost stopped after the Pahalgam incident. We believed that the Amarnath yatra would be turning point.

What is the status on tourist destinations closed after Pahalgam attack?
We have already opened many. Others will be opened too in a phased manner. This is being done after finalising a robust security plan for each one of them.