The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has drawn attention of the Union Home Ministry towards requisitioning of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), raised to deal with riots or riot-like situations, for carrying out routine policing duties in violation of its Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
The paramilitary has asked the Home Ministry to issue directions to State Governments to avoid deployment of the specialised force for routine policing duties and strictly adhere to the RAF’s SOP. The RAF is a wing created under the CRPF
While in Delhi the RAF is deployed for events like political rallies and VIP movement in violation of its SOP, in Hyderabad it is deployed routinely on every Friday. The RAF is also frequently deployed during festivals, birth anniversaries, visits of overseas delegations/VVIPs and sit-ins, affecting the efficiency and morale of the force.
Officials said deployment of the RAF in a casual manner for routine policing duties affects the operational efficiency of the specialised force and the paramilitary is awaiting a suitable response from the Home Ministry on the issues raised by it.
The CRPF has also flagged up the issue of State Governments not seeking concurrence of the Centre in cases where the RAF is deployed on an emergent basis. According to the RAF’s SOP, in case of emergency the District Magistrate of the area may send a request for deployment of the RAF to the Commandant of the battalion located in the district, for a period not exceeding three days.
However, for such emergency deployment, the concurrence of the Union Home Ministry has to be obtained simultaneously or as early as possible by the State Government. But in many instances RAF authorities are not intimated about concurrence of the Home Ministry taken by the Deputy Commissioner/ District Magistrate. The RAF unit Commandant is required to be intimated by the Deputy Commissioner/ District Magistrate about the Home Ministry’s sanction along with a copy of the permission letter.
The RAF has also been seeking funds under the Civic Action Programme (CAP) to undertake socially useful work in communally-sensitive areas and build a favourable image of the force. However, the Ministry has turned down such requests as funds for CAP are allotted for works in the North-East, Naxal dominated areas and Jammu & Kashmir.