Ex-servicemen status for retired paramilitary troops

Ex-servicemen status for retd paramilitary troops
Deeptiman Tiwary, TNN | Nov 2, 2012, 01.41AM IST
NEW DELHI: In the run up to Himachal Pradesh assembly and an eye on 2014 parliamentary polls, the government has decided to extend ex-servicemen benefits to retired central paramilitary personnel. The move will please 17 lakh serving and retired personnel from the forces, who were treated like any other government employee.
The Cabinet on Thursday passed a proposal moved by the home ministry to declare retired personnel from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) as "ex-central police personnel" and extend them several benefits that ex-servicemen from the armed forces get.
Like former servicemen, now the retired paramilitary forces personnel will get quota in jobs, higher education for their wards and attendant medical benefits. However, they won't be eligible for certain Central government benefits such as preferential allotment of petrol pumps and gas agency as the Centre has put financial burden of the development entirely on states.
They will also not share the quota of ex-servicemen from defence forces, but have separate reservations as decided by different states.
The move has come at a time when Himachal Pradesh, which sends a large number of its men to various forces, is facing elections. And with general elections only a year and a half away, the policy decision will bring cheer to over seven lakh retired paramilitary personnel across the country apart from nine lakh serving in various forces such as CRPF, BSF, SSB, ITBP and CISF.
The government also hopes the move will help bring attrition in the forces down. Around 44,000 personnel have resigned from paramilitary forces since 2009 due to stressful conditions of work and lack of medical benefits.
Though the proposal for these benefits was made in 2010 itself, home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde announced its passing by the Cabinet in quite a dramatic fashion. While attending a CRPF function on Thursday morning, he said, "I am moving a proposal in the Cabinet to grant retired paramilitary personnel the status of ex-servicemen. Paramilitary personnel, like defence forces, put their life at stake in the line of duty and there is no problem in granting them this honour."
Four hours later, at function organized by CISF, the minister said, "I had announced at the CRPF function about granting ex-servicemen status to retired paramilitary men. After that I went to attend the Cabinet meeting and the Cabinet approved the proposal. These personnel will be called as 'ex-central police personnel' on the same footing as ex-servicemen in the defence forces."
The forces, in particular their retired personnel, have a mixed reaction. P S Nair, general secretary of All India Central Paramilitary Forces Ex-servicemen Welfare Association, said, "We have been struggling for this for the past several years. We are happy it has come now. It will make us eligible for 60-65 benefits given to ex-servicemen by states. However, this is not enough. We also want one-rank-one-pension like the Army. We are doing a gherao of the CGO Complex on November 21 to press for our demands."
Ex-servicemen status for retd paramilitary troops
Hindu: Ex-servicemen status for retired paramilitary personnel

Army officer's feet bitten by rats in hospital, probe ordered

New Delhi: The feet of a paralysed Special Forces officer was bitten by rats in the Base Hospital in New Delhi after which the Army has ordered an inquiry into the incident to fix responsibility. The young Lieutenant belonging to an elite Para (Special Forces) battalion of the force was admitted in the Army Base Hospital after he was injured in a counter-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir about three weeks ago.
The incident came to light when the hospital authorities found the paralysed legs of the officer bleeding due to rat bites, Army sources said. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident and strict action would be taken against whosoever is found to be responsible for the incident, they said.
The sources said the bite wounds of the officers have been dressed and all possible attention is being paid towards his health condition. Army Base Hospital is a referral centre for several trauma-related cases of the Services personnel. A detailed report is being sought from the Base Hospital also and strict instructions have been given to maintain hygienic conditions there.
Delhi: Army officer's feet bitten by rats in hospital, probe ordered
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Restructuring the Central Police Forces and the State Armed Police

USE OF INCORRECT TERMINOLOGY
Dear Chander,
I had written an article titled "Restructuring the Central Police Forces and the State Armed Police to Combat Internal Insurgencies". It was published in the South Asia Defence and Strategic Year Book 2011, which was published early this year. I am enclosing a copy as an attachment. As you will see, it is a long article of 4781 words, which all may not be interested to read. However, I would recommend that the portion highlighted in yellow be read by all. Following the publishing of the article, I was informed that the then Home Secretary (retired recently) issued immediate instructions to the police forces not to call themselves para military forces. As suggested by me, the Home Ministry issued a policy letter dated 18/22 March 2011 wherein all the armed police forces were instructed to adopt a uniform nomenclature as suggested by me. I am enclosing a scanned copy of the same as the second attachment. I do not know whether the police forces and others will follow the instructions but it is important that they do. The media continues to use the term para military forces incorrectly and so do even defence officers. Army Headquarters needs to contact all editors of newspapers and magazines, as well as others, including their subordinate formations and request them to instruct their scribes/ others to use the correct nomenclature. I thought the readers of your blog would be interested to know; they could then correct people who continue to use the wrong nomenclature.
Warm regards.
Vijay Oberoi
Former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS)
Former Director Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS)
Click here to read the full article

Territorial Army Day Parade

The Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony reviews the parade, during the Prime Minister's Territorial Army Day Parade, in New Delhi on March 18, 2011.CNR :37160 Photo ID :34169- PIB

The Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. V.K. Singh, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik and other officers and personnel, during the Prime Minister's Territorial Army Day Parade, in New Delhi on March 18, 2011.CNR :37159 Photo ID :34168- PIB
Defence Minister Reviews Territorial Army Day Parade

CRPF masquerading as a paramilitary force

Specialised Force for Internal Unrests
By Maj Gen Mrinal Suman
IDR Issue: Vol 25.4 Oct-Dec 2010 | Date: 11 October, 2010
Policy and methodology to counter the Naxalite threat have been subjects of intense debate recently. Army’s reluctance to get embroiled has been questioned in some government quarters. Sadly, opinions are being expressed, both by military and non-military experts, more as short term fire-fighting solutions rather than well analysed long term strategy.

It requires no crystal gazing to foresee increasing unrest amongst various sections of Indian society. Awareness has fired the urge of the people for a higher standard of living and enhanced opportunities for advancement. As the country fails to ensure that fruits of development get equitably and evenly distributed across the complete spectrum of society, disadvantaged segments lose confidence in the fairness of governance. They resort to violent means to wrest their perceived share of resources from an apathetic government. Naxalite unrest is a manifestation of the same challenge to the lawful authority of the state. Needless to say, in addition to effective use of force, convincing measures have to be initiated at political, economical, social and cultural levels to restore credibility of governance amongst the aggrieved people.

This article restricts itself to the nature and type of force that should be employed to counter Naxalites. As the alienated populace is highly motivated and possesses intimate knowledge of the local terrain, a well equipped and suitably trained force becomes an absolute necessity. India has three broad options open to it – employment of an existing central police force (CPO) with additional training and equipment; deployment of the Army to crush armed resistance; and raising of a special force for the assignment. Each of these have been analysed below to identify the most suitable option.

Use of CPO
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is currently countering the Naxalites. CRPF came into existence as Crown Representative’s Police on 27th July 1939. It became the Central Reserve Police Force on enactment of the CRPF Act on 28th December 1949. Over the last sixty years, it has grown into sizeable entity with 207 battalions. It is a federal law enforcement agency and a police force. It has been organised, equipped, structured and trained to supplement efforts of state police forces in the maintenance of law and order.

... it is an unwritten convention in the Indian Army that an officer always leads from the front – he is the first one to step into a danger zone. No officer thinks twice about it.

Presently, a crisis of identity is overwhelming CRPF. A part of the blame for the prevailing confusion about its exact character can be apportioned to CRPF itself. Symptomatic of the same is the message of its Director General on its website. To start with, he refers to CRPF as one of the ‘Para Military Police Force’ of the Nation and subsequently calls it as the most experienced ‘Armed Police Force’ of the country. Apparently, the organisation does not know where to position itself. There can never be a ‘paramilitary police force’ – a force is either a paramilitary force or a police force. The term paramilitary police force is self-contradictory, dichotomist in substance, paradoxical in nature and ambivalent in identity.

It must be understood that a true paramilitary force is an auxiliary force whose function and structure are similar to those of a regular military force. In other words, it should be capable of acting as an adjunct to regular military. CRPF, by no stretch of imagination, can be called a paramilitary force. With a view to garner enhanced status and to demand equivalence with the armed forces, it has been masquerading as a paramilitary force. Resultantly, it has got trapped in the self created delusion that it can perform like a paramilitary force.

Read More: click here

Poor Governance and Corruption gives birth to Naxals and Maoists

The Maoist threat – And what it Tells us about our Governance
Posted on September 15, 2010 by Gopalkarunakaran
This was written by me about three years ago after an opportunity to be part of group debating internal security threats to India. The group comprised of very eminent people, Mr Arun Shourie, Mr Ved Marwah, General Ved Malik, Commodore Uday Bhasker, Mr Ajay Sahni, General Patanker, Mr Rammoham of the BSF , Mr Ajit Duval of the IB. We were trying to put together a paper for the government to act soon. What was startling, but not surprising, was that the threat was well known – but till it reached the drawing rooms of the upper class, through attacks on Rajdhani trains and the stories began in the Media – it was unattended by the State of India. Do give me your views!
by Col. Gopal Karunakaran (retd)

There is so much noise in the media now on the Maoist – so many extreme views – on the one side the Home Ministry who see it as a law and order problem and on the other, left wing intellectuals who see the State being oppressive and unfair to the forgotten masses of India.

What about the larger debate on what the Maoists are fighting for? Who are they? What are their demands? What do they want?

Have our recent economic polices triggered social unrest in India, unknown to the small urban English speaking opinion makers and decision makers of India? It has now risen from a slow simmer, to a raging boiling point, creeping up into our drawing rooms, and finally drawing the attention of our ruling class...
Read more
The Maoist threat – And what it Tells us about our Governance
India is safe, PC tells Naxal-wary investors
Naxals out to capture power through the use of gun: Pranab Mukherjee

Tendulkar can’t make the uniform aspirational

Anshul Chaturvedi, Times of India 07 September 2010, 06:30 PM IST
Sachin Tendulkar being conferred an honorary IAF rank, one must assume, is at its core, an effort to gain greater visibility and aspirational status for the Air Force among the country’s youth. The IAF as such can surely have no agenda to promote or reward cricketing legends – God knows there is no deficit of agencies keen to felicitate Sachin – and the reality, unfortunate or otherwise, is that it needs the positive rub-off of an idol sporting an IAF uniform more than the cricketing maestro needs any recognition from the uniformed services.

The fact that all the three services in the Indian armed forces are facing a shortage of officers for several years is no breaking news. Now, we are hardly a nation facing a numerical deficiency of young men – and women, since the uniform is hardly an exclusively male domain any more – but we never seem to have enough good enough ones in this context. There are many professional domains where the demand of people good enough to get in far exceeds the supply of available slots, but the defence services are not quite there. Have not been quite there, for quite a while, actually....

And it is the adding together of all such perceptions that makes us resort to having to find a star batsman – with absolutely no offence to Sachin’s stature – to pitch the IAF’s profile. Because, frankly, as a country, we don’t really value the fundamentals that make a job that’s about defending or policing the country, quite worth it. We will come out on the streets during Kargil, applaud the NSG during 26/11, and tsk-tsk when we read that 76 CRPF men are slaughtered – but that’s about it.
Mr 210-crores-in-three-years Dhoni required to pitch for the Army now, anyone?
Read the full article:
Even Tendulkar can’t make the uniform aspirational

Comment by sharan: September 08,2010 at 08:27 AM IST
Anshul, you are writing about symptoms, not the real problems here. The real problems are that as a race of people we are weak in mind, body and character, and we always choose to do what is convenient for ourselves rather than what is right.
The symptoms of this attitude show themselves in different ways, depending on where we are. As leaders and politicians, we resort to large-scale looting without contributing anything useful. As policemen we take sides with criminals and harass the innocent, in exchange for "supari". As soldiers, we cringe before our superior officers like cowards, but in the presence of unarmed civilians we turn into bullies. As Class 4 workers we hold the country to ransom, expecting more and more for doing less and less. It doesn't matter where we are; we will find a way to sabotage the system. What we need is to find a way to strengthen ourselves mentally and acquire the right character as humans.

NDTV OROP Debate: Readers Responses and feedback

Ref: NDTV Video on OROP Debate- click here

A SUGGESTION FOR AVOIDING A BUREAUCRAT TRAP
Dear Gen Kadyan and Gen Satbir,
First of all please accept my compliments for leading a great campaign unparalleled in the history of serving and veteran soldiers and building up the crescendo. You are doing a wonderful job. Objective is within sight. Please keep it up. Secondly I wish to caution you against a pitfall trap of the IAS lobby. They are too cunning and clever. Watch out your flanks and the hidden trap. Slowly and methodically they are trying to turn the civilian and by implication the general public against the veterans, by pitching the comparison of civilian professional with the Army like that of paramilitary forces, railways, firefighters, relief and rescue workers and so on. My suggestion is -- please do not get drawn to this argument as and when a civilian profession is compared with Army. Simply stick to our stand of equal pension for equal amount of service and the post held at the time of retirement. If government is convinced let them give OROP to all civilians. Why should we have objection? You may like to issue an advisory on these lines. In the NDTV programme one veteran was trying to justify the risk to life of a fire fighter vis a vis a soldier. This sort of discussion even if true does not go well with civilians. Regards,
Brig CL Lakhanpal (Retd)

VIDEO OF NDTV OROP PROGRAMME: 'PENSION FOR EX-ARMYMEN: A QUESTION OF EQUALITY'
I saw the NDTV program & was aghast at the hypocrisy and duplicity two female lawyers who were making out as if there was no legal basis for equal rank , equal pension. They did not seem to notice how come the MPS & most IAS retire with it . And what big fees they charge to open their mouths in court.
The treatment meted out to Army is no different than to others serving the nation, and is meted out by the selfish & corrupt IAS & MP combine.

They have the easiest of jobs, are arrogant to the core, zero accountability , have routinely filled their own pockets & consider themselves indispensable to the nation, while for the most part they are corrupt, inefficient & a burden to the nation.

Army needs to be treated as special service as we live in a hostile neighborhood & face threats from within too. The nation has to face ignominies & is unable to talk up to China & punish Pakistan for its open use of terrorism . Rather we offer Pak aid on their own terms.

In the face of reality around us we need to give the army the best of equipment & service & retirement terms to attract & retain the best . Those who suffer disabilities need our special care & consideration . Their families need our full support to lead a proud decent life. Their children should be eligible for 100% free education where ever they want to study.

The high morale of our Army is our best protection. In a country where corruption & inefficiency costs us lacs of crores per annum, where food grains rot, development money is routinely siphoned off, crores are siphoned off wasted on some stupid games, money is never a consideration & never will be.
Ajay S Hooda

Read more Comments and Suggestions
Readers Responses to NDTV Debate on OROP

Channelise manpower from Armed Forces to PMF: expert

Respected Sir,
The following report-- released by the United News of India news agency on August 26, 2010 -- is for your kind perusal and the third in a series.
With regards,
Abhi

Channelise manpower from Armed Forces to PMF: expert By Abhijit C Chandra
Bhopal, Aug 26 (UNI) The ideal solution to naxal violence lies in channelising of manpower from the Armed Forces to the Para-Military Forces (PMF), opines an Indian Army veteran who took part in the Kargil conflict and superannuated after becoming a combat casualty while commanding a brigade on the Line of Control during Operation Rakshak-II.
"Such channelising must be in terms of short service officers and people leaving after completion of the colour service period," Brigadier (Retd) PT Gangadharan – who served in the Brigade of Guards (Infantry)– told UNI.
Pointing out that a sizable number of short service officers and approximately 50,000 men leave the service every year, the veteran– who possesses a doctorate in Strategic Studies– added that the measure will bring in an Armed Forces culture and ethos in the PMF and at the same time add teeth to the organisation, thus making them an effective tool in the hands of the nation.
"The induction will be the most cost-effective means available. Additionally, it will ensure employment to all ranks up to 60 years; a recommendation even made by the Sixth Pay Commission. Guaranteed employment up to 60 will ensure that people volunteer for the Armed Forces particularly in the officers' cadre where there is acute shortage. It is a win-win situation for both," said the Brigadier who was Staff Officer, Army, in the Military Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat.
Till such time "we create a force" of that nature, the Army can continue to provide help for training in Army institutions, he said while alleging that the major weaknesses of the PMF are poor leadership and lack of training.
"All other issues are attendant problems like psychological conditioning, equipment, intelligence etc, which will readily be addressed if the major issues are attended to," felt Brig Gangadharan who was an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
The Army is not meant for deployment against internal disturbances, he said while adding that, "we already have committed over 3 lakh troops for internal security tasks in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast and now stand overstretched. The officers' strength at the unit level is less than 50 per cent. The present state is not healthy at all."

CRPF Jawan was gunned down after 4-hour drama

The Hindu 17 July 2010
A “drunk” CRPF jawan allegedly opened fire from his AK-47 rifle killing six of his colleagues, including an officer who had reprimanded him for consuming alcohol on duty, minutes before the shooting spree in Saraikela district of Jharkhand.

The alleged shooter was gunned down after a four-hour drama by other CRPF personnel on Friday night, preventing any further casualties.

Shocked by the incident, CRPF headquarters in New Delhi has rushed its Additional Director General (Headquarters) J.C. Dabas to the spot to find the facts about the fratricidal incident, along with other senior officials posted in the State overseeing anti-Naxal operations.

Constable Harpinder Singh of the 196 battalion of the CRPF, who was on sentry duty at a camp in Kuchai village of Saraikela district, started firing indiscriminately on his colleagues at around 10 p.m., a CRPF spokesperson said.

Six of his colleagues, including Assistant Commandant Bikau Singh, were killed in the firing.

According to sources in the force, an altercation broke out between Singh and other CRPF men over the quantity of food being wasted in the company mess. Singh, who was the mess in-charge, started arguing.

Assistant Commandant Bikau Singh then called these men into his tent to solve the issue.

Bikau found Singh to be “drunk” and ordered a medical test, which enraged him, the sources said adding, he picked up his AK-47 rifle and shot dead four personnel, including the officer.

Shooting spree

The men at the camp tried for three hours to persuade Singh to drop the gun and surrender but the last straw came when he killed a sentry atop a watchtower, the sources said.

Then the other jawans fired at him to disarm him and stop further killings.

As Singh continued to fire, CRPF personnel at the camp shot him dead at around 2 a.m., the officer said.

The dead included Head Constables M.C. Patil and I.R. Khairnar from Maharashtra, Head Constables P.T. Rao of Andhra Pradesh, Jatav Bhav Singh from Gujarat and Constable Vijay Kumar from Uttar Pradesh.

The District Superintendent of Police and the Commandant of the battalion reached the site in the night itself. Police have registered a case, they said.

Sources said Singh had resumed duty on June 18 after returning from a vacation.

A report from Saraikela-Kharswan district said an FIR has been lodged in connection with the firing incident.

Superintendent of Police Abhisekha Kumar said Constable Harpinder Singh, who opened the fire, was made accused in the FIR.

Post-mortem of the bodies was conducted in a local government hospital on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Saraikela-Kharswan district A.K. Mishra said.

A jawan, who was injured in the firing, has been admitted to MGM Hospital, he said.

The SP, who visited the spot, said the preliminary investigation suggested that Harpinder Singh opened fire in a drunken state.
Jawan was gunned down after 4-hour drama

Internal Security: CRPF sees Red, to withdraw from Bastar

05/07/2010
Raipur: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has expressed a desire to withdraw from all interior locations of the worst-hit Naxal area of Bastar in Chattisgarh, a move opposed by the state police.

Official sources, who referred to this wish by CRPF, said the para-military force has also approached Chhattisgarh Police to provide security to its camps at Narayanpur where 27 security personnel were killed in a Naxal ambush recently.

Immediately after the attack, senior CRPF officials were up in arms and said they would be abandoning the post at Durai road if the state police did not guard the two camps in the area, about 300 km from here.

Around 50 police personnel each were rushed to these two camps, a move which was seen as "strengthening of the camps." At least 26 CRPF personnel and one state policeman were killed by Maoists on June 29 when they were returning from road opening duties.

The CRPF has also listed four places in Narayanpur and Dantewada from where they would be shifting their base, the sources said, adding initially the para-military forces wanted to shift their camps closer to the National Highways, which was, however, objected to by the state police.

The CRPF has demanded presence of one-third of district police in every operation and for road opening party. A meeting between the state authorities and the CRPF witnessed heated arguments over the issue and it was decided that road opening duty was exclusively of CRPF domain and there would be no local presence, the sources said.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has also indicated that the CRPF in Chattishargh needs to be relocated and reconfigured. Taking a cue from this, the CRPF has decided to keep a minimum strength of 200 personnel in each camp.

About the rescue and relief on the June 29 killings, the sources said the state authorities pointed out that no help was received from the two camps which were located within five kilometres of the area. The first rescue team came from a CRPF camp located nine kilometres away.

No need to deploy army in Naxal-hit areas: Pillai
The government on Monday said there was no immediate need to deploy army in Maoist-hit regions and it could take nearly seven years to get rid of the menace.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, who is on a visit to review the situation in Chhattisgarh, said there was no need to deploy army personnel at present in the Maoist-hit regions. He, however, did not elaborate.

Speaking to reporters at the district headquarters at Kanker, Pillai said that it could take between three and seven years to get rid of the Naxal menace in the country.

Referring to the casualties suffered by paramilitary forces recently, he said the Naxals were taking advantage of situation whereby jawans enter into their territory to fight them. Pillai denied that there was any difference between the state police and the CRPF, saying both the forces were coordinating and working together.

He said the government was speeding up development work in the Naxal-hit regions and the Planning Commission was preparing an integrated development plan for these areas. Pillai reviewed the state's situation at a meeting with top officials.
Source: PTI
CRPF sees Red, to withdraw from Bastar
Rs 14000cr Maoist balm
It is the basic and prima responsibility of the officer commandiing to ensure that their troops are properly motivated and fed during the operation. It is sad to note that the Inspector General who is the supreme authority himself is complaining of his inability, which spells the sad state of affairs. The CRPF recruitment scam too is instrumental in the poor quality and morale of troops inducted. It is time the IPS Officers are made accountabile and not be indulging in the blame game like the Politicians! The weapons lost by CRPF to Naxals are being used to inflict needless casualities!
CRPF troops fighting Naxals face lack of food, water

Maoists attack CRPF men to snatch weapons

NEW DELHI: Three months after it lost 76 men in an ambush by Maoists, the CRPF suffered another massive loss in Bastar: 26 of its men were killed when the Maoists attacked a road opening party in Narayanpur district.

CRPF special DG Vijay Raman told the Times of India that 26 CRPF men have been confirmed dead and 5 injured. The casualties may be higher. "These are not final figures," Raman said.

The attack took place just three kilometres from a CRPF camp in Dhaudhai on a road leading to the densely forested Maoist-controlled Abhujhmad area.

The party of "about company strength with 70 personnel" was on its way back from clearing the road when the Maoists opened fire from a hilltop.

"We are in the process of evacuating our men. Some have been brought back. Others are being brought back to safety," said R K Dua, IG CRPF. He added that while two seriously injured men had been evacuated by helicopter, the air sortees had to be suspended as evening fell.

Brigadier B K Ponwar, who heads the Jungle Warfare College in Kanker said, "You have to be doubly secure when making the return journey along the same route. You need to secure all areas from where you can be fired upon."
26 CRPF personnel killed in Maoists attack in Chhattisgarh by Supriya Sharma, TNN, Jun 29, 2010, 09.03pm IST

Chronology of Naxal attacks

June 29, 2008: Maoists attack a boat on Balimela reservoir in Orissa carrying four anti -- Naxalite police officials and 60 Greyhound commandos, killing 38 troops.

July 16, 2008: 21 policemen killed when a police van is blown up in a landmine blast in Malkangiri district of Orissa.

April 13, 2009: 10 paramilitary troops killed in eastern Orissa when Maoists attack a bauxite mine in Koraput district.

April 22, 2009: Maoists hijack a train with at least 300 people on board in Jharkhand and force it to Latehar district before fleeing.

May 22, 2009: Maoists kill 16 policemen in the jungles of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra.

June 10, 2009: Nine policemen, including CRPF troops and officers, ambushed by Maoists during a routine patrol in Saranda jungles in Jharkhand.

June 13, 2009: Naxals launch two landmine and bomb attacks in a small town close to Bokaro, killing 10 policemen and injuring several others.

June 16, 2009: Maoists kill 11 police officers in a landmine attack followed by armed assault. In a separate attack, four policemen were killed and two others seriously injured when Maoists ambush them at Beherakhand in Palamau district.

June 23, 2009: A group of motorcycle-borne armed Naxal rebels open fire on Lakhisarai district court premises in Bihar and free four of their comrades including the self-style Zonal Commander of Ranchi.

July 18, 2009: Naxalites kill a villager in Bastar and in a separate incident torch a vehicle engaged in road construction work in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.

July 27, 2009: Six persons killed when Naxals trigger a landmine blast at Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh.

July 31, 2009: A special police officer and another person killed by Naxals in Bijapur district.

Sep 4, 2009: Naxals kill four villagers in a forest in Aaded village in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.

Sep 26, 2009: Naxals kill BJP MP from Balaghat Baliram Kashyap's sons at Pairaguda village in Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh).

Sep 30, 2009: Naxalites set ablaze Gram Panchayat offices at Korchi and Belgaon in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.

Oct 8, 2009: 17 policemen killed when Maoists ambushed them at Laheri police station in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.

Feb 15, 2010: 24 personnel of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) killed as Maoists attack their camp in Silda in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

April 4, 2010: Maoists trigger a landmine blast killing 11 security personnel of the elite anti-naxal force Special Operations Group (SOG) in Koraput district of Orrisa.

April 6, 2010: 75 CRPF personnel and a Chhattisgarh police official killed in a naxal attack in Dantewada district.

May 8, 2010: Eight CRPF jawans were killed when Naxals blow up a bullet-proof vehicle in Bijapur district of Chhhattisgarh.

June 29, 2010: At least 26 CRPF personnel killed in a Naxal ambush in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh. Source: PTI
They want weapons. During the course of my inquiry into the (April 6) Dantewada ambush...
Maoists attack CRPF men to snatch weapons

Scams and Naxalite Terror: The Tribune India

Silence over scams
The intelligentsia avoids risks by Kuldip Nayar
THE Indian democratic system, however wanting, has come to have enough openness to ensure that scams and scandals tumble out of the cupboard sooner or later. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s purchase of Bofors guns, the manipulations in the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket or the sale by central minister A Raja of 2G spectrum, the mobile band, are some recent stories of corruption.
The public is aghast over the disclosures. The media has criticised them endlessly. Parliament has registered its protest through walkouts or long debates. Yet no head has rolled. No minister has ever been prosecuted. It is business as usual after a scam has hit the headlines.

Two main reasons for lack of action are the absence of morality in politics and the government’s control over the investigating and prosecuting agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The shame for having been caught with the hand in tiller is no more deterring. The truth is the casualty. The guilty goes scot-free.
Read more: Silence over Scams

Medical Council Of India Scam
Ketan Desai was exposed the second time over and his deputy was seen as a protégé of his who had kept the President’s chair warm for him when Dr Desai was first arrested in 2001 on corruption charges and later acquitted for lack of evidence. That Dr Desai returned to head the MCI again is a telling commentary on how the vast body of medical doctors surrendered their right to be governed by a person of the right moral standards apparently through sheer apathy.

Dr Ketan Desai has indeed brought the whole medical profession under disrepute. The criminal cases registered against him must be pursued with vigour and he must be brought to book. As for the Medical Council of India, the Government must nurse it back to health and then restore to it a measure of autonomy that is the need of every professional body. The doctors on their part must draw the right lessons — never to let the council be hijacked by unscrupulous elements.
Read more: A new medical council- Nurse it back to health

Dangers of Dantewada
Groping in the dark proving costly by Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (retd)
THE massacre at Dantewada was not only a great tragedy but possibly an event of far-reaching consequences. The scale of the tragedy is dismaying. The fact that the police party was ill trained, lacked coordination with local police and poorly led is an issue which needs no elaboration, but the larger issue is the state of Central Police Organisations (CPOs).
Read more: Dangers of Dantewada: Groping in the Dark

How Police Forces coordinate to combat Maoists?

Maoists Block CRPF Supplies, Police Drags Its Feet
Sumir Kaul/Raipur May 02, 2010

Nearly a month after the Dantewada strike, the battle for CRPF continues even on other fronts as Chattisgarh Police is believed to have dragged its feet in ensuring safe passage of ration to paramilitary jawans due to heavy Maoist presence, prompting airdropping of supplies.

A camp in Chintalnar comprising two to three companies of 62nd battalion of CRPF, one of which was wiped out by Maoists on April six, have had their supplies airdropped two days back as the state police refused to accompany the paramilitary force in reaching there, official sources said.

Chintalnar was the site of the Naxal attack which killed 76 security personnel.

The Naxal presence in the area was picked up by the security agencies who suggested that Maoists had laid an ambush and were blocking all the supplies to the CRPF camp.

The jawans, virtually facing a blockade, sent messages to its headquarters in Raipur and Dantewada following which a high-level meeting was held.

However, the meeting could not end up in any decision after the CRPF sought protection of state police in ensuring that supplies, which also included anti-malaria drugs and mosquito repellent creams because of coming rainy season, reach the area. State police officials said it was not possible for it to send a road opening party to Chintalnar as heavy presence of Maoists was reported around Errabore.

Pushed to wall, the CRPF was left with no other option than to send the supplies through helicopter which airdropped the items at the camp, the sources said.

Neither the state police nor the para-military force officials were willing to come on record and privately they blamed each other for lack of coordination.
Maoists Block CRPF Supplies, Police Drags Its Feet

Service weapons killed CRPF men: May 1st, 2010
Hyderabad, April 30: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel are digging their own grave by selling their weapons to arms dealers.

At least 81 CRPF personnel were killed by Maoists in 2010 till date in the affected districts. In 2009, more than 30 CRPF personnel were killed in Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh.

Apart from snatching the weapons of personnel during attacks, the Maoists are getting sophisticated weapons from arms smugglers.

The sale of weapons in Uttar Pradesh confirms that the CRPF personnel are selling weapons to arms smugglers who are in turn supplying them to Maoists.
Service weapons killed CRPF men

Comment: IPS Officers must be made directly responsible and accountable for arms and ammunition in custody of PMF. How can arms and ammunition be sold to terrorists? It is truly mind boggling. Police reforms are mandatory if our constabulary is to keep our citizens safe. Now the primary task of Police it seems is to guard our Politicians. A great tragedy indeed!

Home Minister keeps his MHA on the toes

We need to congratulate Home Minister for keeping his Ministry on the toes. Read the Report card of Home Ministry for April 2010
P Chidamabaram's Profile
Background & Education: Palaniappan Chidambaram, or PC, as he is popularly known in the Indian press, was born on September 16, 1945 in the village of Kanadukathan in Sivaganga District of Tamilnadu state, India. He studied at Presidency College, Chennai, India and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and then received his Bachelor of Law degree from the Law college of the University of Madras, Chennai. He later went to the Harvard Business School where he took his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. In 1968, he married Nalini, a successful lawyer in her own right. They have a son, Karti P Chidambaram.
Click here for complete Profile of P Chidambaram

Report Card of Ministry of Home Affairs for April, 2010
The Union Home Secretary, Shri G.K. Pillai presented the Report Card of the Ministry of Home Affairs for April 2010 here today. Following is the text of his statement:
“I present before you the report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the month of April, 2010. I also take this opportunity to present the achievements for the full financial year 2009-10 under certain heads. As the month draws to a close, we remember with great sadness the tragedy that occurred in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. 75 CPRF and 1 State police personnel were killed by the CPI (Maoist) in an ambush on April 6, 2010. The Home Minister visited Jagdalpur on April 7, 2010 to pay homage to the brave officers and jawans. Home Mimister’s statement at Jagdalpur and in Parliament contain the Government’s response to the tragedy. While many lessons will be learned from this incident, our resolve to fight the menace of naxalism remains strong and undiluted.
Read the detailed Report Card
Report Card of Ministry of Home Affairs for April, 2010

Comment: The Home Ministry will do well to get rid of all the corrupt bureaucrats and set an example to the other Ministries. The IB, CVC, CBI should be tasked on rigorous sting operations to expose the Bureaucrats reeking in Hawala and Black money and Money Laundering and a few having Swiss Bank and similar accounts.

Internal Security: Two CRPF jawans among four held for 'supplying' arms to Naxals

Two CRPF jawans among four held for 'supplying' arms to Naxals
PTI, Apr 30, 2010, 02.58pm IST
LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh STF today arrested four people including two CRPF jawans in the state for allegedly stealing arms and ammunitions and supplying the same to the Naxals.

UP police said the arrests were made following an operation based on a tip off received in the aftermath of the Dantewada massacre, in which 76 security personnel were killed by the Naxals.

Official sources said the STF carried out searches in Moradabad, Rampur and Jhansi and arrested Vinod Paswan and Dinesh Singh of the CRPF.

They said one retired sub-inspector of Provincial Armed Constabulary, identified as Yashodhanad Singh, was seen moving in different armory centres of the CRPF and PAC and collecting empty shells of bullets fired during the training.

These shells were later replaced at the main Rampur armoury with live bullets and finally supplied to Naxals, sources said.

Over 5,000 live cartridges, 16 magazines of INSAS rifles, .25 bore guns, SLR and AK 47s were recovered besides 245 kg of empty shells.

The CRPF, meanwhile, has suspended both its personnel arrested by the STF and ordered an immediate Court of Enquiry.

"We have suspended both the personnel and have also ordered an immediate Court of Enquiry. We are in constant touch with the UP police and are extending all help to them," CRPF Director General Vikram Srivastava said.

Later, addressing the media, Additional Director General of UP police Brij Lal said, "We have also recovered large number of arms components, mobile phones and Rs 1.76 lakh in cash."

He said the network of the racket was large and has been running for more than six months and the police is questioning the four to look at the possibility of involvement of more persons.
Two CRPF jawans among four held for 'supplying' arms to Naxals: PTI, Apr 30, 2010, 02.58pm IST

Are IPS officers Accountable?
Reading books cannot substitute. We have successful Mizoram, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh models from which to learn; but these 'security experts', not accountable to anyone for incorrect advice, are influencing policy as never before.

Hysteria and wishful thinking are no substitute for cool and calculated thinking. It appears that even the massacre of CRPF personnel in Dantewada on April 6 has not woken up all our policy-makers. It is business as usual for them! Otherwise, how can one explain the continuing blame game between the ruling and the Opposition parties on the one hand, and between the Centre and the state on the other? The situation will only worsen if we refuse to learn from experience.
By Ved Marwah, 29/04/2010:Tackling Maoists, the buck stops at everyone

CRPF Massacre- Dantewada Inquiry

13 Apr 2010: Veteran Views
Do you think India is soft on terror?
There were three recent news items of significance related to the Dantewada episode.

1. First, an inquiry has been set up to look into what went wrong at Dantewada resulting in the massacre.

2. Next, another item stated that all reporters and other media people were prevented by CRPF officials from talking to the non-critically injured admitted in hospital to share their experience firsthand.

3. The third said, quoting someone from the CRPF,"The troops walked into the ambush site as they had missed the point in hours of darkness. Such a thing could have happened to the best trained force in the world. It was not due to lack of training of troops".

Setting up an inquiry is fine. What comes out of it can be made out to a great extent from the items 2 and 3 mentioned above.

There will be a general cover-up to shield the organization’s top brass who in my opinion are culpable of not training their men for the envisaged operations. I fail to understand how a force moving at night, be it on foot, in vehicles, in dark, in close country (forest), on a foot track, or on road can ever 'miss the point'. Obviously they were not aware at all times where the column was at a given point of time. This is a basic need for any kind of movement by day or by night. Well trained troops cannot afford to make such mistakes. If we accept this logic put forward by some CRPF official we should be having far more army casualties patrolling the LC and fighting terrorists in J&K. Any force on the move has to know at all times where its head and where its tail is at a given point of time to able to respond correctly to an enemy strike anywhere along its length.

Reluctance of CRPF officials to permit the injured to share information of general nature is an obvious attempt to bottle up any adverse comment on the state of training of the Force: uncomfortable for the higher-ups.

True to our old habits our inquiries on Dantewada will also go the 26/11 way.
Col Vijay Rajdhan (Retd)
Dantewada Inquiry

Governance or a fake democracy?

I sent the enclosed letter to the Home Minister on 8 Apr 10 by fax and by courier. It has taken a different tack from what Gen NS malik has taken but, ultimately the question of leadership, governance and movement of ex service men into PMF are issues that the government must take immediate action on. I am not sending it to a paper as it will not see light of the day.
Lt Gen SK Bhari (Retd)
1st JSW Course, Former MGO

Governance
It was a long time ago, possibly 20 years, that I last wrote a letter to you. You were MOS in the same ministry and I was MGO in Army HQ. It was as a consequence of a meeting you had called in MOD, to discuss the supply of small arms to the police forces which were in their 3rd/4th qtr of life! I had explained to you that life of only artillery and tank guns is measured in quarters of life and small arms are only checked if the prescribed gauges pass through them or not.

This time I am writing about a much more serious matter. You being one of the few “proactive ministers” who has brought about substantive changes in whatever charges have been given to you, I am taking the liberty of writing on a matter which concerns us all.

The trigger for this letter has been the recent statement to the press by the Home Secretary, wherein he stated that a number of ex servicemen (ESM) are helping train the Maoists. The country is facing a very serious challenge from these destructive elements and the fact that a segment (ESM) whose loyalty to the nation is seldom questioned, is helping a rebellious force needs to be viewed with great concern. I remember in the early`60s a retired JCO, Nb Sub Pan Singh, had played havoc in the Chambal ravine area as he had created his own gang of dacoits. The reason for his going that way was that he had been deprived of a piece of his land by some powerful landlord and despite his pleas to the persons responsible for governance, nobody helped him. I am sure these alleged ESM must also be nursing a similar grouse.

Mr Minister, GOVERNANCE in the country has become the biggest casualty in the last 40 years or so. Unless some serious and concerted effort is made there will be many more Pan Singhs and ESM waiting to join Maoists or other anti national groups. Shouldn’t we all sit up and do something about it?

I joined the corporate sector soon after my retirement and saw things which I had been largely isolated from, in my 38 years of army service. Be it the IAS officers in the NOIDA Authority, or in the UP government, sales tax , income tax, excise, labour officers, minor judiciary or the electricity departments – everyone was on the take! If you resisted, they could bring your business to a halt and make you lose much more than what they demanded. Worse is that there was no one you could turn to. I am surprised that the corporate sector has not started their own vigilante force to get out of the clutches of a corrupt bureaucracy. Trouble is that they are a divided lot as some are able to bribe their way through and make huge profits while denying the government a large portion of its tax dues.

Unfortunately law abiding people are being dealt with a double whammy. Firstly, they are not allowed to go about their businesses without let or hindrance and secondly, law breakers are permitted to avoid paying their taxes make illegitimate profits and deny their workers a fair living wage in connivance with the guardians of the law.

What the police does or does not do is an open secret, as is evident from the daily newspapers. It is also a major contributor to misgovernance in the country and accretion to the ranks of law breakers. A simple case in point. Why is there total anarchy on our roads? The enforcers are totally bereft of any knowledge about road rules and etiquette, permit encroachments on the roads so, how can they prevent road rage which is becoming a major law & order problem and chaos on the highways.

Have you noticed that as the country is descending into lawlessness the state governments are turning more and more to ESM to train their policemen to manage their responsibilities. Is it not ironic that the same police officers who have been letting their hapless constabulary get slaughtered by the Maoists, have been resisting the induction of ESM in their ranks as they claim that they have a different `culture’. Reality is that the ESM will disturb their `give and take’ culture.

The recently launched Op GREEN HORN is in reality being run by green horns. 86 policemen being killed in two days and not a single officer killed or punished for not leading his subordinates is too much of a joke. There is speculation that eventually the Army will be called in, as per SOP. Army officers and men will get killed and the Ashok Chakras will be collected by police officers wearing a lot of brass and sitting behind huge desks. Surely some more DGP vacancies will be created and another force raised to accommodate them!

The government has to take a stand if it does not want the nation to reach the same anarchic state as some of our neighbours. Instead of constantly rewarding non-performers, for our country’s sake please use the same firm and well thought out measures against them, that you are using against the Maoists. We need a similar cleansing of this cancer in our vitals.

The 6th Pay Commission has been hijacked by the civil servants, despite their poor record in governance (except a very small minority), at the cost of the Defence Services. By denying them and the ESM their legitimate dues you are preparing grounds for swelling the ranks of other unlawful entities. The solution is in our hands we only have to take action and nip corruption at its roots and not let a minority of the government servants milk and destroy the country. I have said it in so many words to the PM but he is not inclined to listen. Possibly, because he does not want to take any stern action against his erstwhile colleagues! I am sincerely hoping that you will stop the drift before it is too late. As a concerned believer in INDIA I hope you will take prompt action to stem this rot any further.

Mr P Chidambaram
Hon’ble Minister of Home Affairs
Government Of India
North Block
New Delhi 110011

File photo of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram addressing a conference in New Delhi. PTI Photo

Puducherry, Apr 10 (PTI) Home Minister P Chidambaram said today said earmarking Rs 1,47,000 crore for India's defence budget was "absolutely necessary and inevitable" as neighbours like Pakistan did not have a friendly attitude towards the country.

"Had the neighbouring countries been stable, peaceful and were oriented in a friendly manner towards India, our allocation of such a big fund for defence in the budget would not have arisen," he said at a meeting organised by Puducherry PCC as part of the 125th year celebrations of party formation.

Referring to internal security, Chidambaram said the budget for the current fiscal is expected to be Rs 40,000 crores to address the requirements of para military forces and the police.
Hefty allocation for defence is necessary: Chidambaram

Comment: Many Politicians forget the 1962 China war! What Home Minister needs to remember is that the success of Para Military Foces depends on the Jawans on ground led by frontline Officers and not the high tech gagetry as recommended by the Secretary Home Ministry. One needs to be cautious and judicious before going on a spending spree. Morale of troops is important to that extent the PMF need to trained and looked after. Maoists are looting PMF weapons and also procuring them with impunity. Can we not plug the loop holes by curtailing their finances and monitoring the porous borders?

PC takes salute from 1st batch of women BSF recruits

First batch of women recruits join BSF STAFF WRITER 16:40 HRS IST
Hoshiarpur, Jul 25 (PTI) Complimenting women for doing a commendable job in civil services as well as in the Army, Union Home minister P Chidambaram today said they have now been assigned to work in para-military forces too.

He was speaking after taking the salute from the passing out parade of the first batch of 178 women recruits at the Subsidiary Training Centre of the Border Security Force (BSF) at Kharkan, 10 kms from here.

BSF Director General M L Kumawat said that the first ever recruitment of mahila constable in North-West India was conducted at its Headquarters at Jalandhar on June 11, 2008.

As many as 640 women were selected totally out of approximately 8,500 applicants. The newly passed out mahila constables will be deployed at Border Out Posts (BOPs) for search and frisking of women crossing fencing gates, he said.
First batch of women recruits join BSF

PC takes salute from 1st batch of women BSF recruits

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram took the salute from the passing out parade of the first batch of 178 women recruits at the Subsidiary Training Centre of the at Kharkan on Saturday. Addressing a gathering after the ceremony, he said that women are not less then men as they are progressive in all fields and are contributing their share in the development of country. He also said that women of the country had a great strength and could play their role more effectively to make the nation rich and prosperous. They had already doing commendable job in civil as well as in Army sector, he said. He said that keeping in view their successful role in Army, women had been assigned to work in paramilitary forces and their recruitment had been started.
PC takes salute from 1st batch of women BSF recruits

BSF to induct 1,000 women in combat duties for the first time

Monday 13 July, 2009.
Setting a milestone, the Border Security Force will induct about 1,000 women personnel for combat duties for the first time by the end of this month. The women, who are currently undergoing training at the BSF establishment in Khatka, Punjab, will participate in the passing out parade on 29th July, which will be attended by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.

"It would be a proud day for us when women will work shoulder-to-shoulder with men," BSF Director General M L Kumawat told a news agency. These personnel have been imparted training in weapon handling, intelligence, border management, sports, unarmed combat frisking and guard duties.

The women, along with their male counterparts, will carry out search and frisking at check posts, immigration points and trade routes along the borders with the force guards.

"The women component is essentially needed for the force as our duty of guarding borders involves frisking women travellers besides other relevant duties," Kumawat said. The first batch will be deployed in Punjab sector.

The newly trained personnel will be inducted for the posts of constables and the BSF also expects to get women officers in the post of assistant commandants and higher ranks. The women battalion will be part of the 29 battalions sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs for the BSF as part of its expansion plan.

Women personnel in central forces like CRPF, CISF and SSB are already performing ground duties, this is for the first time that BSF will deploy women on ground.(AJ-12/07)
BSF to induct 1,000 women in combat duties for the first time: DD News