General Bipin Rawat said that the situation is "fully under control" in Rajouri and Reasi areas and Indian Army working along with other central police forces in the region. In the Kashmir valley, everybody is working together: General Bipin Rawat

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Tuesday said that with Jammu and Kashmir becoming a Union Territory (UT), monitoring of schemes and public issues can be done in a better manner in the region.

"In the Kashmir valley, everybody is working together. The Indian Army does not work in isolation. Army is working along with other central police forces that are there with the state police forces. Now if you see, the BDC [Block Development Council] and Sarpanch elections have been held. So, we are working with everybody together," Bipin Rawat told media in New Delhi.

"Now what will happen is the monitoring of activities. And I am sure that will be carried out in a better manner because they have come directly under the Centre becoming a Union Territory," he added.

The Army chief on Tuesday met a group of Maulvis, Granthis and pundits from Rajouri and Reasi region who have come to New Delhi as part of a national integration tour.

"I was very happy to meet religious teachers, who are Maulvis, Granthis and pundits from the Rajouri area. They have all gathered together and come here as part of the national integration tour. Firstly, the relevance of this is that this highlights how all communities in Kashmir can live together. This is a very significant message which is being sent to the people of Kashmir that if the Granthis, Maulvis and pundits can operate together, obviously they understand that whatever their religious books and texts are preaching have the same basic message. The message is that of peace and harmony," General Bipin Rawat said.

Bipin Rawat said that the situation is "fully under control" in Rajouri and Reasi areas from where these religious teachers have come.

"There is hardly any militancy in these areas. People are happy and doing their jobs. But then one thing they have the scope and potential for increasing the employment in these areas for which we have said that we will provide you help. We will see how early recruitment rally can be organised in the area so that some of the youth from these areas can join the defence services or if the police forces can organise a rally along with us, we will see if they can even join the police forces," General Rawat said.

"Therefore, I want to give credit to these people because they have spread the right message and that is why there is peace and harmony. I only hope and I wish that this message can be spread to other parts of Jammu and Kashmir also where people are getting misguided and this can stop in case the religious teachers of all communities can spread the message of peace, harmony and the fact that all communities in India can live together," he said.

General Rawat said that "Kashmir is no different from any other region of our country". "Kashmir must also reap the benefits of what the rest of India is benefiting from. This can happen if everybody lives together in peace and harmony," Bipin Rawat added.