New Delhi: Atleast six back-to-back internal security assessment meetings over Jammu and Kashmir in the last week have prompted the Home Ministry to decide on the premature repatriation of the two top officials of the Border Security Force (BSF) to their state cadres, a senior official privy to the development told ETV Bharat on Saturday.
“Maintaining law and order in Jammu & Kashmir is the top priority of the Central government. So, as a follow-up measure, the government has decided to appoint a new director general to the BSF,” the official said. On Friday, the government removed BSF DG Nitin Agrawal and special DG (West) YB Khurania and sent them back to their state cadres.
“The casualty statistics this year in terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir have shown that strong actions are required to be taken to bring normalcy,” the official said. Quoting official statistics, the official said that at least 28 security force personnel and civilians have already lost their lives in terror-related violence in the last seven months in Jammu & Kashmir.
As many as 14 security force personnel and 14 civilians have died in 35 terrorist-initiated incidents and encounters in Jammu & Kashmir this year till date. The official informed that the total civilian casualty in the entire year of 2023 was 14. In fact, it was one week that the Home Ministry also decided to shift two battalions (atleast 2,000 soldiers) of the Assam Rifles to Jammu & Kashmir from Manipur. “The Assam Rifles, which is a part of the Indian army, has been assigned with the task of maintaining law and order situation in Jammu & Kashmir,” said the official.
When asked about the reason for shifting AR for the first time in Jammu & Kashmir from the Northeast, the official said that the AR personnel are well trained to guard international borders as well as counter-terror operations. The AR will be replaced by CRPF battalions in Manipur.
“Their presence would definitely help the government in bringing back normalcy in the Valley,” the official added.
Till date, AR was mandated to guard the Indo-Myanmar border besides maintaining law and order in the northeastern states.
Interestingly, the final decision to shift two battalions of AR to Jammu & Kashmir was taken after the new director general of the frontier force took over the charge on August 1. Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera took over the charge of Director General from his predecessor Lieutenant General PC Nair.
Meanwhile, Zo United, a Civil Society Organisation parent body for all Kuki-Zo kindred Tribes in Manipur wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah opposing the move to shift two battalions of AR from Manipur to Jammu & Kashmir.
The tribal body fears that the decision may further worsen the situation in Manipur. The government has decided to withdraw AR from two sensitive hill districts of the state, including Churachandpur and Kangpokpi.
It said that the Assam Rifles has maintained internal security in strife-torn Manipur and successfully thwarted attempts to escalate the violence on many occasions. “It is, therefore, deeply concerning to learn that there are plans to replace 9 Assam Rifles and 22 Assam Rifles with CRPF at the behest of the Meiteis, one of the communities involved in the Manipur conflict. The 9 AR patrols the crucial Kangvai-Gothol area near the Churachandpur Bishnupur buffer zone while 22 AR is in Kangpokpi,” the letter addressed to Modi and Shah stated.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Albert L Renthlei, convenor of Zo United, said that replacing the Assam Rifles, at present, would undermine the integrity of the force and also the trust our people have in the Central government.
“It may also disrupt the fragile ceasefire along the buffer zones and lead to an eruption of violence. We hope that the Central government will take note of our pleas so that the right decision, which benefits the entire country may be taken,” Renthlei said.
He said that Assam Rifles has the most experience among Central Armed Police Forces in Manipur with unparalleled knowledge of the local populace – both KukiZo tribals and Meiteis. “Their understanding of the culture and geopolitical sensitivities of the region has been crucial in fostering an environment of peace,” said Renthlei.
It is worth mentioning that different sections of people from the Meitei community of Manipur have been demanding the replacement of Assam Rifles accusing the central forces for hobnobbing with the Kukis.
