GUWAHATI, Oct 11 � The Gajraj Corps of the Army is well prepared to meet any challenge and �should the opportunity arise, we will not be found wanting in accomplishing the assigned tasks�, asserted the GOC of the Corps, Lt Gen Gyan Bhushan.
The main task of the Gajraj Corps, which is the 4 Corps of the Army is to guard the international border with China in the Tawang sector and the Corps is also involved in counter-insurgency operations in Assam since 1990 when Assam was put under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
The week-long celebrations of the raising week of the Corps came to an end today and speaking at a function held on the occasion in Tezpur, Lt Gen Bhushan asserted that operations against the terrorists who do not abjure violence and come back to the mainstream would continue.
Lt Gen Bhushan said that the Army is fighting terrorism with the motto of �iron fists in velvet gloves.� Clarifying his statement, he said that the Army would deal with anyone who challenges the might of the nation with iron fist but at the same time, the Army has been offering velvet glove to the militants who shun violence and rejoin the mainstream.
The GOC said that the security situation has improved considerably over the years and the synergy between the Army, state administration and the other security forces engaged in the counter-insurgency operations yielded the desired results.
Meanwhile, talking to The Assam Tribune, the PRO of the Corps, Col R Kalia gave a brief history of the Gajraj Corps and said that though the Corps was first raised in May, 1942 during the Second World War, it was demobilized after the war. The Corps was raised again in October, 1962 to counter the Chinese aggression and the first head of the Corps was Lt Gen BM Kaul.
The Army PRO revealed that the Corps played a key role in the 1971 war against Pakistan and it has been engaged in the counter insurgency operations since 1990. However, guarding the border with China remains the main task of the Corps and over the years, the strength of the Corps is being raised. The Government has decided to raise two more divisions to strengthen the Corps.
Col Kalia said that the coordination between the Army, state government and the other forces engaged in the counter-insurgency operations played a major role in improvement of the overall law and order situation. He said that so far this year, 805 militants were arrested and 104 were killed. During the same period, the Army, police and other security forces recovered 556 weapons, while, 425 militants surrendered. He said that in the year 2009, 1268 militants were nabbed and 179 were killed. The forces managed to recover 545 weapons.
