The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has asked the Union Home Ministry to sanction erection of over two dozen radio FM towers in some select pockets of the porous border with Nepal to counter anti-India propaganda from across the border.
Addressing troops on the forces’ 52nd Raising Day here, SSB DG BD Sharma said its field units have reported messages detrimental to the country’s interest being relayed in border areas and hence it has sought clearance to raise these towers which will be used to tackle “anti-India propaganda” at various locations along the 1,751 km-long frontier.
The DG said the field formations of the force and its headquarters here have identified a total of 27 such locations where FM radio towers could be erected.
Sharma has also sought Home Ministry’s clearance for its latest proposal for opening six new cultural centres in the border areas of Gangtok (Sikkim), Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), Jaigaon (West Bengal), Supaul (Bihar), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand.
Sharma also sought Government’s clearance to hold joint operations with their Nepalese and Bhutanese counterparts to not only enhance trust but also to security relations.
Addressing the paramilitary personnel at the forces’ camp here, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked the troops of border guarding force SSB to sharpen their Intelligence skills and ensure that terrorist groups are not able to carry out their nefarious anti-India designs along borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
Singh said a robust and sharp intelligence system is the most important weapon along these sensitive two borders which are open and not fenced, keeping in view India’s friendly relations with them.
SSB was tasked to guard these frontiers more than a decade ago in 2001 after its control was taken out from the external intelligence agency RAW and entrusted to the Union Home Ministry.
“I have a firm belief that being a border guarding force you will be successful in stopping any type of anti-national and criminal activity along Nepal and Bhutan borders. You have had a speciality, that is your intelligence system. Based on your experiences and good work, you will have to make it (Intelligence capabilities) better so that this system is able to render a more important role in the near future.
As part of strengthening SSB’s intelligence apparatus, the minister said his ministry was “seriously” examining a latest proposal sent by the force to extend facilities to its “non-uniformed” cadres on par with the uniformed and armed component.