New Delhi: Cautioning that withdrawal of CRPF deployed for counter-insurgency operations in sensitive districts would leave a vacuum that could be exploited by insurgents, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday sought an "immediate replacement" for the paramilitary forces in the state.
Speaking at the Chief Ministers` conference on Internal Security, Omar said, "The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered the withdrawal of five CRPF battalions from the state. Four IRP battalions from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand which were meant to replace the CRPF battalions have not reported as yet except for one battalion."
The CRPF was withdrawn from J&K for anti-naxal operations in other parts of the country.
"The withdrawal of the five CRPF battalions which are deployed for counter insurgency operations in sensitive districts would leave a vacuum which is bound to be exploited by the insurgents," Omar said.
The Chief Minister asked the Centre to take immediate action to ensure that suitable replacements for the CRPF battalions are sent to the state immediately.
"An immediate challenge faced by the state government, and the state police in particular, is to manage the transition from a situation when the focus was almost entirely on tackling terrorism and militancy to the present situation where priority is on handling law and order situations," he said.
Omar said it was a "paradigm shift" for the state police involving a re-orientation of mindset and significant re-training and re-equipping for handling these situations.
"I would request the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide us with all the necessary assistance so that we are able to re-train and re-equip the state police so as to enable them to effectively handle law and order duties," he said.
Bureau Report
