In an exclusive interview Nishant Chaturvedi, News Express Channel Head in Ye Hui Na Baat talks to Bharat Verma, Editor Indian Defence Review on issues of significance and concerning national security on the occasion of 67th Independence Day of India.
Bharat Verma raises serious questions on the validity of India’s foreign and defence policies. He believes that there is a strong requirement of coordination between these two wings of the government. Two brutal cowardly attacks by Pakistan on Indian soldiers recently on the Line of Control would not have occurred if the policies of New Delhi were far sighted and a strong signal on ground through instant retaliation by the military was allowed. The Prime Minister of the country as per Bharat Verma does not come across as a capable leader.
Bharat Verma further stated that what is happening in Jammu & Kashmir is a pre-planned ethnic cleansing in Kishtwar of Hindus similar to exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley earlier. He also states that inside Pakistan ethnic cleansing of minorities took place in last many decades and now due to the dwindling population of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, the ethnic cleansing of Shias is taking place.
In the interview he clearly states that to face the security threats from China–Pakistan combine, India needs to put in place a counter game plan, which is assertive and proactive. He further points out that China and Pakistan have a clear game plan, after softening the Indian borders with incursions and attacks to simultaneously launch a war in the coming years to cut-off the northeast and unhook Kashmir.
The Editor is convinced that government of Nawaz Shariff is in cahoots with Pakistan Punjab’s groups like JUD and Hafiz Saeed. There is no difference of opinion between Nawaz Shariff government, Pakistan Army, and its irregular forces – the Jihad factory.
His emphasis remains in modernization of the Indian military on war footing and decisively integrating India with the other democracies to leverage technology and influence to secure India’s interest in the 21st century.