Amit Shah to attend 84th CRPF Raising Day ceremony in Chhattisgarh on Saturday

The DG credited the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) which was formed in the last two years and have been a major host to facilitate the building of roads and schools in the region, as well as, to carry out anti-Maoist operations

Union minister of home affairs (MHA) Amit Shah on Friday reached Chhattisgarh’s Maoist-hit Bastar district to take part in the 84th annual Raising Day ceremony of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), to be held on Saturday.

Union minister of home affairs Amit Shah (Twitter Photo)

Shah, who is the chief guest, will reach the Karanpur base camp for the ceremony, the headquarters of the 204 CoBRA battalion of the CRPF.

Sujoy Lal Thaosen, director general (DG), CRPF, who is also in Bastar said that Maoism is slowly ‘shrinking’ and that very soon security forces will be in a decisive situation.

He said 38 CRPF units are currently deployed in Chhattisgarh to tackle the Maoist problem and have been successful in a significant reduction in the Naxal incidents in the region.

The DG credited the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) which was formed in the last two years and have been a major host to facilitate the building of roads and schools in the region, as well as, to carry out anti-Maoist operations.

Appreciating the works of CRPF personnel, the DG said that it is the world’s largest paramilitary force involved in activities across India.

“The CRPF personnel are doing better work in Northeast areas and other states, including Jammu Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.”

He further said that CRPF’s work is not confined to being posted on the war fronts but also to work towards social betterment.

“We also have to work against social evils, provide security and promote women empowerment. That is why a team of women bikers has come from Delhi to Bastar to promote the ideas of upliftment of the women and their empowerment,” he added.

The DG, responding to a question that that the security forces don’t get proper medical treatment, said a proposal was sent to establish a trauma centre in Jagdalpur which has been approved

Besides this, he said, efforts are underway to solve the issue of choppers landing in the night in Maoist-dominated areas of the state, including Bastar. Presently, only 14 places have the facility of night landing, he added.

On the question of alleged air strikes being conducted in Bastar, he said that the drone is used only for surveillance and not for operation.

“Those who make allegations are those who oppose the camp. We know who those people are. Our job is not only to conduct operations. We are also working towards the development of the area. We pay attention to the needs of the people as well,” the DG further said.

The Maoists, following an encounter between security forces in January this year, alleged that security personnel carried out aerial strikes on villages in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Bijapur districts.

In January, during his visit to Chhattisgarh’s Korba city, Shah said that the Union government aims to make the country free from Maoism before the 2024 parliamentary elections.