Ready for all-out war: Rawat

New Delhi : In the run up to Balakot strikes, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat very categorically conveyed to the top brass of the government that his force was fully ready to deal with any ground offensive by Pakistan and take the battle into the enemy territory, top military sources said.

The Indian Army was prepared for a conventional warfare with Pakistan which would have included going inside Pakistan. The Army chief informed the government about preparedness of his force when it was considering various options, including carrying out an aerial raid, to punish Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack.

Gen. Rawat, at a closed door interaction with a group of retiring Army officials on Monday, said the force was combat ready for any hostilities from Pakistan Army after the Balakot strikes, the sources said.

Explaining Gen. Rawat's comments, a military official said what the Army Chief meant was that Indian Army was ready to take the battle into Pakistan.

New normal?

Senior Congress leader and former home minister P Chidambaram on Monday hit out at the Centre over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that there was a "new normal" in place.

"Everything is normal in J&K. Schools open, no students. Everything is normal in J&K. Internet shut down once again," Chidambaram said.

"Everything is normal in J&K. Mehbooba Mufti's daughter under house arrest. She asks why? No answer," he said. "If you are wondering what is going on, please understand, this is the new normal," he added.

Jammu and Kashmir was placed under an unprecedented security cover and curfew-like restrictions on August 4, a day before the Centre revoked the state's special status under Article 370 and bifurcated it into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

'Let us free PoK'

Union Minister Jitendra Singh echoed sentiments of his cabinet colleague Rajnath Singh on merging Pakistan Occupied Kashmir with India.

"As the parliament has unanimously agreed, let us free Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and merge it with India. Let us pray to the almighty that we get the chance to see this in our lifetime," Singh said.

Meanwhile, Shah Faesal, a former bureaucrat has moved a habeas corpus plea in Delhi high court challenging his recent detention at Delhi airport.

Court has sought response from Centre and fixed August 23 as the next date of hearing.

Observing World Humanitarian Day on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that we must all pray for the restoration of human rights and peace in Kashmir. "Today is World Humanitarian Day. Human rights have been totally violated in Kashmir. Let us pray for human rights and peace in Kashmir," Banerjee tweeted.

The state has been facing restrictions on normal everyday functioning since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.