From Newkerala.com
New Delhi, Aug 4 : Border Security Force Director General Raman Srivastava today backed CRPF, which has attracted much criticism for its alleged failure to fight naxals in the maoist-heartland of Chhattisgarh, saying the force was doing all it could.
Talking to mediapersons after flagging off the fifth 125-member contingent for UN peace keeping mission in Congo, the DG, when asked if CRPF had failed to fight naxals, said: ''How can I say that? They are doing whatever they could. They are doing their best.'' Both CRPF and BSF have been taking up the anti-naxal operations jointly. The CRPF is the main force fighting the naxals.
''The CRPF is fighting the naxals, our (BSF) mandate is to hold and dominate the area,'' Mr Srivastava said.
On whether the BSF would be taking up more responsibility in the operation against naxals, Mr Srivastava said manpower was an issue.
''Where is the manpower? It takes a lot of time to raise one battalion.'' The BSF, the second largest paramilitary force of the country, has five battalions in Orissa and Chhattisgarh, the DG informed.
The BSF has also come under severe naxal attacks. Recently, in June, naxals attacked a BSF camp in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.
While CRPF, India's largest paramilitary force, is the main central force fighting the naxals, the government had roped in BSF and ITBP, to strengthen the operations.
The Government, reportedly, is likely to rope in about 10,000 more BSF personnel to strengthen anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and Orissa, which have witnessed a spurt in violence.
Incidentally, both the forces were once seen as `competitors' when they were deployed for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states with BSF claiming to be better equipped and trained to handle insurgency.
The rivalry appeared to end when the government decided to make CRPF the sole counter-insurgency force, leaving BSF to concentrate on the borders. However, BSF is of late being roped in to assist CRPF in some anti-naxal operations.
''The CRPF is fighting the naxals, our (BSF) mandate is to hold and dominate the area,'' Mr Srivastava said.
On whether the BSF would be taking up more responsibility in the operation against naxals, Mr Srivastava said manpower was an issue.
''Where is the manpower? It takes a lot of time to raise one battalion.'' The BSF, the second largest paramilitary force of the country, has five battalions in Orissa and Chhattisgarh, the DG informed.
The BSF has also come under severe naxal attacks. Recently, in June, naxals attacked a BSF camp in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.
While CRPF, India's largest paramilitary force, is the main central force fighting the naxals, the government had roped in BSF and ITBP, to strengthen the operations.
The Government, reportedly, is likely to rope in about 10,000 more BSF personnel to strengthen anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and Orissa, which have witnessed a spurt in violence.
Incidentally, both the forces were once seen as `competitors' when they were deployed for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states with BSF claiming to be better equipped and trained to handle insurgency.
The rivalry appeared to end when the government decided to make CRPF the sole counter-insurgency force, leaving BSF to concentrate on the borders. However, BSF is of late being roped in to assist CRPF in some anti-naxal operations.
--UNI
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