Disquiet in the Forces

Younis Ahmad Kaloo

In March this year, a report in one of the national dailies talked of the increasing number of officers and soldiers quitting the central paramilitary/ Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) mid career. The report quoted the written reply that Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju tabled in Parliament.

BSF soldiers during an operation

Quoting a few retired and serving officers, the report attributed this growing trend to the tough working conditions in the forces and the availability of better career opportunities in the private sector. While agreeing with the ‘tough life’ part, former Inspector General Police (IGP) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) VPS Panwar refused to accept the contention that people are quitting the forces for better career opportunities outside.

“There is no opportunity at all. Voluntary retirement is witnessed in Naxal areas and the reason behind this is the personnel deployed there feels that the government does not compensate them as much as their services demand. There is no pension. Neither are they given the status of martyrs. So, who is going there to die?” he reasoned.

The former IGP also doubted the figures shared by the government in which in 2017 alone as many as 14,587 personnel, including gazetted officers of CAPFs, resigned or took voluntary retirement as compared to 3,422 in 2015. He said, “The actual figures exceed far more than what they have shown. It is just half of the number of people who go home and never return. Their fa