Shah attended the 84th Raising Day celebrations of the CRPF at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, today.
Team News Riveting
Jagdalpur, March 25
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had uprooted the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) that had caused obstruction in the development of tribal areas in different parts of the country.
CRPF has played a very commendable role in restoring peace in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, J&K and Northeast, Shah said while speaking as the chief guest at the 84th Raising Day celebrations of the India’s largest paramilitary force held at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday. The Raising Day function of CRPF is held for the first time in the den of LWE.
Shah also inaugurated Prasar Bharati’s news bulletin for the Bastar Division in the local language of Halbi.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been a sharp decline in violence in LWE affected areas, and, now development is reaching to the last person in these areas,” Shah said, adding that the areas of Budha Pahad, Chakrabandha and Parasnath in Bihar and Jharkhand, which were strongholds of LWE for decades, have been freed now from the rebels. Incidents of LWE-related violence have come down by 76 per cent from the peak of 2010 while casualties dropped by about 78 per cent, he added.
Shah said that it is a matter of great joy for all of them as this day is being celebrated in Chhattisgarh for the first time after the establishment of CRPF and since the beginning of the problem of LWE. He said that 763 CRPF personnel have made the supreme sacrifice during the drive to end LWE in Chhattisgarh. “Today our fight against LWE is at a decisive stage, for which the martyred Jawans have made immense contribution,” Shah said.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that whether it is Jammu and Kashmir or bringing peace in the Northeast or fighting against LWE to bring development to the tribals, CRPF Jawans have displayed unparalleled valour and bravery in every field. He said that the golden history of CRPF in the field of internal security of the country has been marked by the spirit of bravery, valour and sacrifice of all the jawans.
Three development projects of CRPF worth Rs 174 crore were launched at the function.
Shah said that today, there is also a flag-in of the CRPF women motorcycle team. These 75 women Jawans along with 38 motorcycles have reached here today after completing a journey of 1848 kilometers which they started on 09th March, 2023. He said that the bravery of these women Jawans will help in disseminating the message of Nari Shakti in the entire country.
The Union Home Minister said that CRPF was established on 27 July, 1939, but the force was given its modern form by Iron Man and the country’s first Home Minister Sardar Patel. He said that on December 28, 1949, Sardar Patel renamed it as the Central Reserve Police Force and on March 19, 1950, he gave the insignia to this force. Shri Shah said that the force, which started with a single battalion is the biggest CAPF in the country today, with 246 battalions, 4 Zonal Headquarters, 21 Sector Headquarters, 2 Operational Sector Headquarters, 17 Operational Ranges, 42 Administrative Ranges and over 3.25 lakh personnel.
Shah said that on October 21, 1959, while fighting the Chinese army at the Hot Spring in Ladakh, the CRPF Jawans showed indomitable courage and spirit of sacrifice and achieved martyrdom. To make their martyrdom immortal, the Nation decided to observe 21st October as Police Commemoration Day. He said that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has built the National Police Memorial at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, where every year on 21st October, tribute is paid to the martyred police personnel. He said that on April 9, 1965, the CRPF bravely gave a befitting reply to the Pakistan Army at Sardar Post in the desert of Kutch and to mark the day, 09th April is observed as the Shaurya Diwas by the whole country.
The Union Home Minister said out of 70,000 km roads sanctioned for development in the LWE-infested areas, 11,000 km road has been completed, 2343 mobile towers have been installed, Eklavya School are being opened in Priority Areas, 1258 bank branches have been opened in just 5 years, 1348 ATMs have been opened, the work of opening 47 ITIs and 68 skill development centers under the skill development scheme has also been completed. He said that the pace of development is increasing in this area due to the joint efforts of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, CRPF and local police.
