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| Role of CRPF: Special Secretary Bansal hits nail on the head | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Aug 30: Whenever any Delhi-based political leader or high-ranking official visits Kashmir, he makes some controversial statements about Kashmir, about the Army presence in the Valley, about the role of the CRPF and about the efficacy or otherwise of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), thus making the prevailing confusion worse confounded. Such statements, instead of helping New Delhi in Kashmir, make its task more difficult. There are people in the state, particularly in Jammu, who are not pleased with such visits because they believe that the visiting political leaders and officials only outrage the nationalist sentiment by virtually identifying themselves with the secessionist sentiment in the Kashmir Valley. In fact, they accuse them of not trying to understand the nature of the ongoing movement in Kashmir and suggesting things that run counter to what the nation stands for.
It is refreshing to note that no such thing happened during the visit of Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Union Home Minister UK Bansal to Srinagar, notwithstanding his statement that "dialogue is the only solution." Bansal visited the summer capital of the state, Srinagar, on Sunday for an on-the-spot assessment of security scenario in the Valley. During his visit, he met the state governor, various officials dealing the internal security and others.
Bansal also interacted with media persons. It is not clear whether he himself took the initiative to meet them or whether media persons approached him on their own to know the reasons behind his Srinagar visit. However, interaction between him and reporters did take place. Bansal did not really give anything to the Kashmir-based reporters, who are always eager to see the Central leaders and officials making some controversial statements and then making mountains out of them. Bansal talked about everything - dialogue, why dialogue was not taking place and the attitude of separatists and stone throwers to the idea of dialogue, AFSPA, internal security, CRPF and so on, but without making any controversial statement. He left everything to care of his masters in New Delhi. Indeed, a right approach!
Bansal was very clear. He knew what he had to say. Even regarding the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley, Bansal did not make a sweeping comment. He only said: "I am poorly equipped and it is too early to make any assessment - short-term assessment. I have not come here to make any assessment or statement. I have come here to educate myself about the situation and report back."
However, he did put things in perspective as far the presence of the CRPF in Kashmir was concerned and its role. He said that the CRPF was at the "disposal of the state government"; that the "CRPF is working under the directions of the Jammu and Kashmir police"; and that "the deployment and other decisions about the force (CRPF) are taken by them (state police)."
What Bansal said about the CRPF and its role in the militant-infested Kashmir must have unnerved and exposed those in the government who have been criticizing the CRPF and its role, accusing them of "violating the human rights of Kashmiri civilians", demanding withdrawal of the paramilitary forces from the Valley and setting up inquiry commissions to look into the circumstances under which some stone throwers and other hooligans lost their lives during the past about two months. What Bansal said was a snub in one sense.
There are reasons to believe that what Bansal said must have assuaged the hurt feelings of the CRPF personnel, who have been at the receiving end, notwithstanding the fact that all of their actions were the actions of the Chief Minister, who holds the Home portfolio, and whose tool, the state police, make use of the CRPF personnel they way it wants. What he said was like a fresh air in the otherwise highly polluted atmosphere in Kashmir. The CRPF personnel have nothing to do with the decisions regarding their deployment or redeployment. They only obey the orders and discharge their duties to the best of their ability and capability.
It needs to be underlined that the CRPF personnel, who have been under tremendous pressure and discharging their obligations towards the nation braving all odds, are in Kashmir not on their own. They are there in the insurgency-hit Kashmir because the state government wanted them to be there to help it restore peace in the Valley. They never go to any locality or mohalla or galli or market on their own. The Chief Minister's/Home Minister's tool, the police, deploy them on the trouble spots.
The Chief Minister/ Home Minister would do well to recognize the reality that all the actions of the CRPF are his own actions and to denounce the CRPF would only means he is denouncing himself and his actions. The Chief Minister/Home Minister cannot hold the CRPF responsible for his utter failure to maintain law and order in the state. |
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