Against the backdrop of its tussle with the West Bengal Government over deployment of forces in Darjeeling, the Union Home Ministry on Wednesday wrote to all the States stressing that paramilitary forces cannot substitute the State police and should be deployed only in emergencies.
In a communication to all the State Governments, the MHA said that the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF should be returned and State police should take over once the crisis at hand is over. The MHA further pointed out that several States and Union Territories are yet to pay their outstanding dues for taking the services of the paramilitary forces.
It said the Central Government has formulated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for deployment of CAPFs and according to it, the Central forces would be able to meet more pressing commitments like guarding borders, fighting insurgency, anti-national operations and related situations, which need immediate mobilisation of forces.
“CAPFs can’t substitute the State police force as their deployment is related to emergency situations in States for maintaining law and order,” the communication said. The Home Ministry’s communication came after the West Bengal Government moved the Calcutta High Court and got a stay against the Central Government’s move to withdraw 700 CAPF personnel from Darjeeling, where an agitation demanding a separate State is on.
The MHA maintained that State Governments often make requests to the Centre for deployment of CAPFs even in situations where the State should normally be in a position to take all security measures from their own resources by dispatching police and State armed police.
“State Governments are reluctant to de-induct CAPFs and keep requesting for extension, which should not ordinarily be made unless there are adequate security reasons for their extension. Deployment of CAPF companies has a cost associated with it and the State Governments are required to pay the charges as laid down in the Government policy. Incidentally, there are significant outstanding amounts against the States and Union Territories,” it said.
Asking the State Governments to follow the SOPs, the Ministry said each State should constitute a State-level committee under the chairmanship of
Additional Director General of Police (law and Order), where representatives of the Intelligence Bureau and CAPFs at the level of DIG may be co-opted.
“These committees may examine and scrutinise the requirements of CAPFs by keeping in view the internal security, previous scale of deployment, optimal utilisation of State resources, Intelligence inputs and availability of CAPFs in nearby locations,” it said.
The recommendation of the committee must be specific and indicate the quantum of CAPFs’ deployment and duration, along with the jurisdictions. Requests for extension of deployment and increase in the quantum must also be examined by the committee on similar lines.
“Government has sanctioned many India Reserve Battalions (IRBs) in States and these are not being used optimally by the State Governments. The purpose of the IRBs is to make the State self-reliant
in dealing with the law and order and internal security situation by avoiding being dependent on CAPFs,” the Home Ministry’s communication said.