The Chief of Army Staff General Rawat has said yesterday that if Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism, the Indian Army can be like Neeraj Chopra too. According to reports, the COAS was responding to a journalist’s question on whether Neeraj Chopra like sportsmanship is being displayed at the border too. He asserted that since it is Pakistan who is engaged in carrying out cross-border terrorism, they should make the first move of ending it.
https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1037526181191417856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
It is notable here that the reference to Neeraj Chopra was about the incident when he had reached out to his Pakistani competitor after the javelin throw event in the recently concluded Asian Games at Jakarta. Chopra, who won the Gold medal, was seen humbly greeting and shaking the hand of his Pakistani competitor Arshad Nadeem who had won the bronze medal.
https://twitter.com/khatana_ashraf/status/1034429282536378369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Neeraj Chopra’s warm gesture was widely praised in both India and Pakistan. Many media outlets and individuals had termed it a true show of sportsman spirit.
On Wednesday the COAS was at an event organised to felicitate the Asian Games medal winners from the Indian Army who have just returned from Indonesia. General Rawat stated that a contingent of 73 sportspersons and coaches had participated in the recent Asian games and in total, the Army personnel have won 11 medals, including 4 gold and 4 silver medals. He further stated that preparations for the Olympics in 2016 are on and the Asian games had helped the players get good international exposure. He reportedly urged both medal winners and non-winners to work hard for the upcoming Olympics.
Regarding the situation in Army, the Army Chief reportedly stated that the situation in Kashmir has definitely improved in the last few years and the improvement will continue. He added that many families in Kashmir have been realising that terrorism cannot be an option and are urging their boys to come back to the right track.
General Rawat has always maintained that India will make no compromises when it comes to combatting terrorism. In the past he had reached out to Kashmiri youths several times, telling that their desire of secession is futile and they will never stand a chance against the army. General Rawat had also made a tough stand against the separatists and terror sympathisers in the Kashmir valley.