R.C. Sharma

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) comprises Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) with the combined strength of about one million function under the administrative control of the ministry of home affairs (MHA). Subordinate officers, under officers and jawans constitute 98.5 per cent of the total strength of CAPF. The remaining 1.5 per cent is the officer cadre. Clearly, the jawans are the backbone of security and territorial integrity of a nation. They keep our democracy vibrant and nation safe working 24x7x365 in harsh climatic and geographical conditions. What British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill said aptly applies to CAPFs soldiers even today: “We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us”.

The CAPFs has a defined role mandated under respective act and rules, which it has been executing professionally under difficult and adverse situations, frequently earning acclaim from the government and citizens. In an essay on ‘Counter-Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir: A tale of Indian Security Forces’ (published in National Security Challenges edited by Col Raman Deep Singh Sandhu and Dr Manjari Singh), Anns George KG writes, ‘The BSF was a unique force at the time of its deployment in the Kashmir valley. It possessed characteristics of both the military and police force. It was a regular infantry with policing duties. This combination of policing skill and infantry style was very well suited for the COIN operations in Jammu and Kashmir. As a result, the BSF was the first group that initially succeeded in COIN operations in Jammu and Kashmir’.

On the CRPF, he writes, ‘When the J&K police was ineffective in controlling mob violence, law and order situation got worse and the CRPF was deployed in the valley. The CRPF was an effective force in controlling mob violence and riots. Due to this, the CRPF was able to rein in deteriorating law and order situation in J&K. With reduction in the BSF deployment since 2003, the CRPF was given more focus to tackle the insurgency problem in J&K’. What he writes for the BSF and the CRPF is true for other forces too.

BSF personnel at the Bangladesh border

CAPFs men have never allowed poor service conditions to become a hindrance in performance of operational and administrative duties. Despite being aware of the inadequacies, government and forces headquarters have not paid the desired attention to improve service conditions and satisfaction index of CAPFs men and officers. Rather, the government and senior leadership have compelled officers and men to approach courts for relief since forces headquarters and MHA have been indecisive on important issues. An increase in court cases is an indicator of the government’s disdain to genuine concerns of CAPFs soldiers, which effect morale and motivati