Speaking at an event in Pune, General Manoj Naravane said if ordered, he would go to war, but diplomacy would be his first choice. "For those who have lost their loved ones, that trauma will be carried through generations. There's also something called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)," he said
Former Indian Army chief General Manoj Naravane. File pic
Former Indian Army chief General Manoj Naravane has slammed those raising questions over the suspension of India-Pakistan tensions, stating that war is not romantic or a Bollywood movie, reported news agency PTI.
Speaking at an event in Pune, Naravane said if ordered, he would go to war, but diplomacy would be his first choice.
"For those who have lost their loved ones, that trauma will be carried through generations. There's also something called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). People who have seen gruesome scenes wake up sweating even after 20 years and need psychiatric care," he said, according to PTI.
Naravane was speaking at a programme organised by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.
He added that there is trauma among the people living in the border areas, including children who have seen shelling and have to run to shelters at night.
"War is not romantic. It is not your Bollywood movie. It is a very serious business. War or violence should be the last thing we should resort to, which is why our Prime Minister said this is not an era of war. Although war will be forced upon us by unwise people, we should not cheer for it," he said, according to PTI.
India-Pakistan tensions: 'We are all equal stakeholders in national security'
Naravane asserted that given a choice, his first choice would be diplomacy, settling differences through dialogue and not reaching the stage of armed conflict.
He added, "Still, people are asking why we have not gone for a full-out war. As a military man, if ordered, I will go to war, but that will not be my first choice.”
"We are all equal stakeholders in national security. We should try to resolve differences not only between countries, but amongst ourselves, whether in families or between states, regions and communities. Violence is not the answer," he said, according to PTI.
Following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, India launched retaliatory military strikes under Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and destroyed seven terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POKJ).
On May 10, India and Pakistan announced reaching an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea.
(With inputs from PTI)
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