In an interview to the Indian Express, Army Chief Bipin Rawat has said that Kashmiri youth picking up the gun and those who tell them (that) this path will bring Azadi is misleading them. Gen Rawat said categorically, "I want to tell Kashmiri youth that Azadi isn't possible. It won't happen. Don't get carried away unnecessarily. Why are you picking up weapons? We will always fight those who seek Azadi, those who want to secede. (Azadi) is not going to happen, never."


General Rawat said that he doesn't attach much importance to the number of militants who are killed in encounters with the Army. "These numbers don't matter to me because I know this cycle will continue. There are fresh recruitments happening. I only want to stress that all this is futile, nothing is going to be achieved by them. You can't fight the Army."


Both the ruling PDP-BJP coalition led by chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and the opposition in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday recommended the Centre to consider a unilateral ceasefire against terrorists starting from Ramzan, this month till the end of Amarnath yatra and Eid in August.


The Army chief said that the Army or Indian administration does not like any sort of killing, but would fight with full force if compelled to do so. Comparing the role of Indian Army to that of security forces in countries like Syria and neighbouring Pakistan, General Rawat said that the forces in India havent been brutal.