Last month, India commemorated the Pulwama attack, which occurred on February 14, 2019, and resulted in the deaths of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The lesson learned is that there is an urgent need to address paramilitary forces’ grievances in terms of training, morale, and parity with regular armed forces in order to ensure these forces’ effectiveness in maintaining internal security.
Background
- The Forgotten Dantewada Attack: On April 6, 2010, 76 CRPF personnel were killed by left-wing extremists in Dantewada, despite being the deadliest attack on security forces in any counter-insurgency or anti-terrorist operation in independent India.
- The Pulwama attack: On February 14, 2019, 40 members of India’s largest paramilitary force, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), were killed. The Pulwama attack elicited unprecedented public outrage and emotional responses from all segments of society. It is critical to remember this incident in order to avoid a repeat in the future.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
“Service and Loyalty” is the company’s motto.
- The CRPF logo depicts a crossed rifle and a light machine gun on a map of India, along with a laurel wreath and the words “Central Reserve Police Force” written in both Hindi and English. The crossed rifles and light machine gun symbolise the CRPF’s role in internal security, while the map of India represents its national duty.
- The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force. The Crown Representative’s Police (CRP) was established in 1939 to assist British rulers in dealing with unrest and law and order issues. It was renamed the Central Reserve Police Force after India’s independence in 1947.
- The CRPF is primarily in charge of maintaining internal security, conducting counter-terrorism operations, and assisting state police in maintaining law and order. It also aids in disaster management and protects critical infrastructure.
- Personnel and deployment: The CRPF, with over 300,000 personnel, is one of the most important components of India’s internal security apparatus. It can operate in a variety of environments, including cities, jungles, and mountains. The CRPF has also participated in international peacekeeping missions in Haiti, Sudan, and Congo.
Paramilitary Forces Faced with Difficulties
- Threats to security: Paramilitary forces are frequently deployed in areas where security threats such as terrorist attacks, insurgencies, and border conflicts exist. These threats pose a significant risk to the personnel’s lives, and they must remain vigilant at all times to avoid any untoward incidents.
- Pay and benefits: When compared to paramilitary forces, Indian Army personnel receive higher pay, better benefits, and retirement benefits. The Indian Army has a well-developed pension system, and paramilitary forces have a Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
- Inadequate infrastructure: These forces frequently operate in remote areas with inadequate infrastructure, such as food, water, and shelter. This makes it difficult for personnel to carry out their responsibilities effectively, especially during long deployments.
- Inadequate training: Proper training is required for paramilitary personnel to effectively carry out their duties. However, due to budget constraints and a lack of resources, training is frequently insufficient, resulting in inefficiencies and errors during operations.
- Army de-induction: The de-induction of the Indian Army from certain areas has resulted in the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) and other paramilitary forces being tasked with carrying out difficult tasks, resulting in overstressed personnel and compromised training.
- Stress and mental health: Because of the nature of the job, paramilitary personnel are frequently exposed to traumatic situations, which can have long-term effects on their mental health. Unfortunately, mental health resources are frequently scarce, and the stigma associated with mental health issues can discourage personnel from seeking help.
- Lack of modern equipment: To carry out their duties effectively, paramilitary forces require modern equipment and weapons. However, due to budget constraints and bureaucratic red tape, such equipment is frequently delayed, putting personnel at risk.
Parity and better treatment are required.
- Armed Forces of the Union: The Delhi High Court order of December 2022 that recognised the paramilitary as a force under the category of ‘Armed Forces of the Union’ and emphasises the need to address genuine grievances of paramilitary personnel.
- Service facilities: The paramilitary force faces discrimination in a variety of areas, including pensions and service facilities.
- Pension scheme from the past: Former personnel and their families have demanded that the old pension scheme for serving paramilitary personnel be reinstated.
- Training and morale of paramilitary personnel must be prioritised in order to maintain optimum performance and effectiveness.
Other important paramilitary and special forces forces in India
- National Security Guard (NSG): The National Security Guard (NSG) is a federal contingency force tasked with counter-terrorism and special operations. It was founded in 1984 and is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Border Security Force (BSF): The BSF is a border guarding force responsible for guarding India’s land borders and preventing trans-border crimes during peacetime. It was founded in 1965 and is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): The SSB is a border guarding force in India that is responsible for guarding the country’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan. It was founded in 1963 and is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police): The ITBP is a specialised mountain force tasked with guarding India’s borders with China. It was founded in 1962 and is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Assam Rifles: The Assam Rifles are a paramilitary force responsible for maintaining law and order in India’s northeast. It was founded in 1835 and is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
@the end
The commemoration of Pulwama Day should serve as a reminder to avoid a repeat of the tragedy, and it calls for an examination of the lessons learned and the implementation of corrective measures. It is critical to listen to genuine grievances of paramilitary personnel in order to maintain morale and improve the nation’s security environment.
Source: https://www.india.gov.in/topics/defence/paramilitary-forces