The officers of the Indian Police Service justify their continued domination of all senior posts in the Central Armed Police Forces cadre by citing historical reasons. The IPS officers often remind the cadre officers that it is they who have raised these central paramilitary forces and brought them to their present levels of organisational and operational efficiency.
But the IPS officers using this argument to perpetuate their hegemony over CAPF officers is like the British justifying their rule over India by calling themselves as the best rulers and that, if given independence, Indians would ruin their country.
Any organisation, especially a uniformed fighting force like a CAPF, needs experienced manpower when it is being established. While it is correct that the IPS officers were at the helm of affairs when these forces were raised, what is also true, but is largely ignored by the IPS fraternity, is that the core of these forces at the operational levels was formed by the released emergency commissioned officers and directly recruited officers. Therefore, attempts by a section of IPS officers to take exclusive credit for raising these forces is a bit overstretched.
Also read: CAPF must stop slandering IPS, shows lack of discipline: Ex-BSF chief
IPS officers don’t inspire cadre
The CAPF cadre is now large, experienced and matured to take over the reins of these forces. The officers not only know the nuts and bolts – which is the most important criteria for commanding troops in these regimented organisations – but have also gained wide experience, superior vision about the forces, and the ability to hold their own in a group where senior most representatives from various wings of the government are represented. Senior cadre officers, by virtue of living and working 24X7 with the troops, also possess the ability to inspire and motivate the junior officers by leading from the front – something that cannot be said about the IPS officers anymore.
I would refrain from questioning their ability as policemen, even though a lot of people do question it in view of the lacklustre – if not outrightly bad – law and order situation in most Indian states today.
However, one wouldn’t be wrong to question their ability to inspire and manage large CAPF organisations.
How can they inspire confidence when they leave no stone unturned to impede rather than advance the juniors’ career prospects? It is utterly demoralising for the cadre to have the Supreme Court judgments and instructions on Organised Group A Service (OGAS) and Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) given a whole new interpretation to deny benefits to more than 90 per cent of the serving and retired CAPF officers on recommendations made by IPS bosses to the Narendra Modi government? They cannot inspire confidence when the CAPF officers have to approach the court for a routine matter like cadre review.
Also read: Bipin Rawat’s plan to train jawans for officer role is Army admitting staff shortage, quality
IPS officers and poor decisions
The IPS officers have stopped inspiring the rank and file of the CAPFs because they are not at grips with the complexities of managing these forces, which is implicit in several ill-conceived decisions taken by them.
For example, they had in 2013 attempted to break the identity of units in the Border Security Force (BSF) by getting the central government to order rotation of one-third of troops every year. The move was aborted because of timely intervention by BSF veterans. But the same has been implemented in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a decision directly responsible for a large number of causalities suffered by the CRPF in particular.
Similarly, without giving any thought to the impact on command, control and operational ability, the IPS officers have resorted to adding an additional company in each unit of these forces, thereby increasing the span of command of Unit Commandant by almost 25 per cent. This has adversely impacted the operational efficiency and discipline in the forces. Another long-term effect of this ill-thought decision is the increased stagnation because proportionate number of posts was not created at higher levels.
Misuse of power, corruption
Another reason for the lack of confidence in the abilities of IPS officers is the open misuse of manpower and corruption that they are widely perceived to indulge in. An IPS Inspector General posted in the BSF in Bengaluru had allegedly withdrawn personnel from border duty and put them on work at his daughter’s marriage in Chandigarh.
There are IPS officers who have been removed from the duty of commanding frontiers on charges of smuggling. Some BSF officers too have been implicated but the impact of an IG commanding over 20,000 troops being involved is unimaginable.
Also read: Fresh guidelines for armed police forces to prevent suicide by personnel
Deputation not required
The IPS officers often site Article 312 of the Constitution to buttress their claim for deputation to CAPFs. No one doubts the status of IPS as an “All India Service”, but the Article nowhere says it is mandatory for them to come to the CAPFs. They come on the basis of rules framed under the provisions of respective Acts of these forces. The IPS Act and rules cannot claim superiority over the Acts and rules of these forces.
The principles of deputation also need to be kept in mind. It is required that deputation should be resorted to only when a sufficient number of trained or qualified officers in a particular CAPF organisation is not available, which isn’t the case anymore. So deputation of IPS officers in the CAPFs no longer holds any rationale. The cadre officers are put through orientation training before promotion to each level and are ready to take on any responsibility, including commanding the force. The IPS officers, on the other hand, are not aware of the “nuts and bolts” of CAPFs as implied by former BSF chief Prakash Singh in his recent article in ThePrint.
An argument often advanced is that the deputation of IPS officers to CAPFs enhances the liaison with civil police and the administration. But reciprocal deputation will also achieve the same purpose and add to the quality of understanding about capabilities and limitations of CAPFs among bureaucrats and police officers. So why is the latter not done?
Even the Parliamentary Committee headed by former Home Minister P. Chidambaram had in December last year recommended appointing CAPF officers as Director Generals of these forces and also ending the hegemony of IPS officers.
The CAPFs have been raised for a specific role and are often required to assist the civil administration in anti-militancy, counter-insurgency and election duties. Both the state police force and the CAPFs are required to ensure national security. It will be an extremely positive step if both the CAPF and the IPS cadres recognise the contributions of each other instead of the latter claiming a superiority.
The Narendra Modi government is urged upon to accept the genuine requests of CAPF officers and grant full benefits of NFFU and Organised Group A Service as ordered by the Supreme Court. Not deputing IPS officers up to the level of Inspector General in the CAPFs will also go a long way in enhancing the law and order situation in the states where there is an acute shortage of IPS officers.
The author is a retired additional director general of Border Security Force. Views are personal.
CAPF Cadre must be short service commissioned as like in Army.. or these people all wud fight among these self to climb on few of top posts required to be handled by All India Services Cadre civil officers to maintain peacefull security of Civilians under rule of Law for which they are been expert from the level of local policing. And about “nuts and bolts” abviouly people handling nuts and bolts can be a mechanic/helper can’t be mechanical Engineer in any manner. Truly stupid article misleading stupid people.
CAPF is not the ancestral property of any particular cadre officers. Introduction of IPS officers who are cream into CAPF is the decision of. GOI whuch should not be challenged by any. disciplined member of the force. It is ooen secrt Genetal Duty Cadre officers who are ment to discharge border duty are managed to engage themselves in Non General duty like Ministerial, Law officers, Pilots, Communication officers, Motor Transport officers, Informatiin Technology Officers, Intelligence and Vigilance officers etc against the classification of post in relevant recruitment rules. Unit Comdt and Sector DIG will have to spend only eight night halts in bordet area. Rest of the time they will perform nin General duty as explained above. It is a big matter of debate and sheer violation of statutory provisions. CAPF could be saved if 75% entry of IPS officers at Comdt level and seperate cadre for each technical and non technical cadre as well as Ministerial. CAPF intelligence and Vigilance duties should be assigned to people from CBI, IB etc so that corrupt people could be taken to the task. MHA should intervene immediately and such type of hatred remarks should not be alowed further more.
I have read many articles related to this topic. I have read and a little studied about the work and duties exercised by both CAPF and state police. The only logical solution may be is to create a cadre of officers especially IPS only for CAPF and not deputation of IPS who serves in state police becoz both forces have to face very different types of problems.
India is obsessed with hierarchy and turf battles, and the desire of this or that group (in this case CAPS vs IPS) for “dominance”and “hegemony”over the other. All possible arguments such as knowing the “nuts and bolts” are mustered, and the important overarching issues are lost sight of. The IPS and other all India services were deliberately created for one key reason: to be the unifying glue to knit together myriad organizations to provide a well-knit, effective internal security apparatus for the country. The IPS is the common factor between, say, a state police force in the North East, the CRPF who may be deployed there and the IB which generates intelligence for the entire apparatus to function. It is a network of trusting colleagues that stretches across all state and central security organizations (there are probably over 50 of these, handling disparate duties ranging from border security to intelligence to riot control to disaster management to beat policing) that is used to bring about immediate action when needed, cutting through ossified bureaucratic communication channels. It is meant, for good reason, to be an elite cadre of leaders who can see the big picture, connect the dots, exercise initiative and take bold action whenever needed. To argue that knowledge of “nuts and bolts” should be paramount in selecting leaders is to display parochialism, ignorance and a lack of strategic ability. It is another matter that the quality of the IPS itself has suffered a great decline thanks to political interference, failure to weed out non performers and dilution of the cadre by promoting state police officers to the IPS. The answer is to address these and to strengthen the IPS, not to reduce its scope. As for fairness, the selection process of the IPS is transparent and its integrity has been maintained; there is every opportunity for those capable of making it to qualify.
This is all power game. No one thinks about country. Their self interest is supreme. So A CAPF officer want to become DG of CAPF. An IPS want to become Home Secretary. An Army officer want to be Defence Secretary. An IAS want to have all powers of a Minister. It’s all power game of Homo Sapiens (Humans) who want to have more and more powers. In democracy, there is a need to control over power of each. For example, If some Supreme Court/High Court Judges is made Director CBI/Special Director CBI, it will be good. The present system is good in CAPF. In fact there should be more IPS officers in CAPFs for better coordination particularly in CRPF.
A nicely articulated article which has summed up the issue from the core.
It’s time for Government to implement the orders of Supreme Court in its true spirit as per the recommendation of 6th pay commission and DOPT norms on OGAS which have already been extended to 52 odd OGAS.
In stead of implementing NFFU & OGAS, DGs of respective CAPFs are creating a new narrative of indiscipline and trade unionism which is totally false and baseless.
It’s very simple, extend the dues or give in writing that they can’t implement the SC verdict because of conflict of interest. So that we can go for contempt against the responsible ones.
IPS want to do everything except policing, now they r bringing paid veterans to write in favour of them and to put justifications but when u will talk to them in private they themselves accept that it is high time to hand over the command to Cadre Officers.
If you name only one achievement of India after Independence, it is that Democracy survived. Study breakup of Yugoslavia and Army rule in various countries to understand the importance of IPS. Fortunately Sardar Patel, a great visionary, was brain behind All India Service. Action should be taken against those CAPF officers showing indiscipline by writing such articles.
CAPFs are not Army. They are under Ministry of Home Affairs and Defence Forces are under Ministry of Defence. Indian Armed Forces are professional forces that have always served under the democratic setup. There is strong civilian control over them and hence, there is no threat to democracy from the Defence forces and CAPFs. Your belief is irrational. Please ponder over it again.
Your reply itself is an answer…one side u say democracy prevails another side u r saying the person who raises voice against what he feels wrong should be punished!! Pls think twice before u write
All the blind men of India give discription of the elephant the way they perceive of the part they are holding. CAPFs, Paramilitray Forces, central civilian forces, or whatever fancy name one may accord to these central police organisations, they are not going to smell as sweet as proverbial rose in William Shakespeare’s quote. All CAPFs have been created in a knee jerk response to National level security disasters at some points of time in Independent India’s History. BSF, ITBP, SSB, NSG, NIA, SPG, CISF, RPF , CRPF, ARs etc etc have a history behind thier raisings or conversion to Armed forces of union. History is witness to the fact that the English did not raise any CAPF or Paramilitary under thier central authority. They ruled India for 200 years with aplomb and dignity. Why post Independent Indian rulers have fallen in trap of raising these outfits which have been raised as armed forces of union but are utilised to police the states or parts of states. A Nation can afford armed forces under only one central command or authority. Unfortunately Indian Govt has multiplicity of Armies under many Ministries without a central authority to command or regulate these outfits. CAPFs are poorly trained and lack innate discipline to respect the authority. CAPF cadre officers are openly organised in cyber unions. They have also filed joint petitions in courts. CAPF cadre officers are not to be blamed, it is the myopic governments which have raised these outfits as Independent entities and the Frankenstein is grown so monstrous that it is threatening his creater only. There are two levels at which the CAPF officers are operating. The serving officers are operating in cyber unions on Facebook, whattsaap, etc whereas the retired CAPF officers are providing an open front for pressurising the governments of the day. Both serving and retired officers are closely knit group in CAPF
social circles in Delhi, Chandigarh and Banglore . It was Army bashing in Past encourgaed by IPS , now the Army officers have been thrown out from CAPFs , the chickens have come back home to roost. Now the guns have been trained on the IPS. If CAPF officers succeed in easing out IPS, days are not far off next it would be the government of India itself. The monster is grown too big. I do not understand what drives retired Indian Army officers to jump in the controversy as sensitive as unionization of CAPF officers and suport them.
This is an appeal to PMO to step in and bring these so called CAPFs either under state police forces or place them under the unified Central autority of COAS under MOD otherwise the Nation must prepare itself for a big showdown. Retired CAPF officers are behaving as agent provocateurs inciting the serving officers for legal revolt and open defiance in CAPFs. Govt must keep a track of these agent provocateurs.
Please get your history corrected,,,, CRPF was raised in 1939 and Assam Rifles much earlier,, further these Forces are raised under the provisions of Article 246 Schedule VII of the Constitution,,with OTHER ARMED FORCES,,,so please be clear before writing,,,,, Regards
Dear sir,
I have researched my piece of write up well. Assam rifles was not an armed force, it was Assam levy untill WW II. Later English converted it to Assam Rifles to participate in War. It was a police outfit in NEFP . Similarly CRPF was a police outfit namely CRP under British crown. It was in 1955 that CRP was converted into an armed force of union. Assam rifle act has been passes even later than CRPF conversion to AF of union.
As regards other Armed Forces of union
are concerned i have to say that under article 246 it did not mean CAPFs. Please read preamble of Indian Army Act, the concept of other armed forces would be clear. Other armed forces were the armed forces of the princely states. Indian army act was enacted to consolidate and unify other armed forces of India in Indian Army.
Sir, I write with utmost responsibility and clarity of purpose with National interest above all parochial interests.
Aim is to see issues in correct perspective without prejudice.
Regards.
Are you serious on the statement that CAPFs can be a threat to national security or Government of India especially when we have a strong Indian Army around. CAPFs were never a threat to national security rather their deployment is making nation safe from multifarious internal and external threats. The role and task of each CAPF is well defined and their deployment have been overstretched from their primary role and task over the period of time due to the changing environment of national security and emerging threats. CAPFs did well and are performing the assigned duties well. We can’t compare British rule requirements with the need of the hour. Many things have changed over the period of time. Please read the parliament proceeedings to understand why and how Armed forces of the Union were raised in the independent India. Parliament is well within the ambit of the Constitution of India to raise Armed forces of the Union. Your belief is unfounded.
Good job Swarn Dev ji , me Narendra Modi or mene ye message padh liya hai, aap befikr rahiye ab or pau par pau rakh kar so jao or aise hi papar warrior bane raho .
Mr swarn Dev ji…..with due respect I am glad that you you hv at least notice the whatsapp and Facebook drive of CAPFs cadre officers.
Truth be told, IPS doesn’t want to handover command to CAPFs even after highest court order i.e SC and GOI’s approval. That is why they’re using all kind of magical logic to manipulate and connived the Govt and MHA by distorting the facts all because they wants to retain their deputation.
I challenge you, Would you dare response to me….the few questions I put forth to you?
1. Do you think it is appropriate for IPS to come into deputation to combatised* CAPFs at General Level that too with Zero experience before?
2. Why IPS deputionist never ever go for remote and distrub area posting like north east, J&K and ANO? Are these places a God forbidden posting for them?
3. Can you imagine someone seating on the general’s chair with zero experience but taking the command and control of the CAPFs troops? Don’t you care about the life of 100s of jawans who are being martyr everyday in the field due to such faulty commands of the babus?
By disgracing of paramilitary forces you are projecting your negative emotions to the public. You probably don’t know about the duties , charters and relevencies of this forces.
There is talks in the air that IPS came to CAPFs for deputation only to spend their honeymoon. Some even said they only celebrate picnics at the backdrop of the sweating jawans and officers of CAPFs in the fields.
The above points seems to be unbelievable unless one step into the shoes of CAPFs. Output of DsG has been not satisfactory.
Many years of IPS commands has pushed CAPFs standard to the primitive backwardness of the past. All infrastructure, living barracks, facilities and welfare etc of CAPFs are way behind than the
Army. As IPS came only for 5 years deputation to CAPFs, they don’t care about long time development. So not much can be expected. The ethos, professionalism and culture in paramilitary is also not developing as the generals are not interested to see into such affairs.
Now after court verdicts, they’re fighting tooth and nails to retain back their deputation. Why is this hypocrisy? Earlier too they try to stop and when they couldn’t stop, now they’re trying to manipulate?
For God’s sake don’t play with the court of law. So Let us give preference to the merits…. to serve nation in best way rather than backstabbing one for vested interests of their own.
I would like to conclude by asking you a question. Are IPS not authorized to obey legitimate Hon’ble Supreme Court and Govt order? Why is Group A services benifits not extended to CAPFs even though they are group A since 1986?
Very pertinent and true analysis of the topic.
Any further continuation of IPS in CAPFs has become untenable as they have lost all respect of Cadre Officers by consistently opposing their carrier progression. During 6th and 7th CPC IPS argued for denying NFU and better carrier prospects for cadre officers. When the top leadership of a Uniformed Armed Force works against the interests of their own junior leadership, how can they exercise command which demands high level of trust among all commanders and respect for their ability. The present situation requires urgent and careful handling by the MHA before any untoward incident takes place.
India got freedom from colonial rule but CAPF continue to be ruled by colonial masters in IPS an elite cadre who have all powers but no responsibilities towards subjects. Majority of states suffer from pathatic law n order conditions but who blames this cadre officers? Because they work close to political power. Why the IPS officers dont join CAPF as asst comdt or Dy comdt level on deputation? Thats because they would be required to sweat and suffer on the field leading the men.
Today CAPF officers are better equipped and trained to lead their Force.There is absolutely no need to import masters at the top to lead them. In fact the experience of CAPF officers can be shared by granting them lateral posts on deputation in states n centre.
When NFFU is granted by the Supreme Court ,why the present Govt led by an able PrimeMinister n Home Minister who have grown up from grassroot level are denying these benefits to CAPF. I hope our political masters have not become prisoners of elite bureucates working close to the power.
Give CAPF officers a chance to lead their Force , see their performance and then judge.
Mr.S K Sood Addl.DG Retired of BSF has covered all aspects of this problem of CPMF VS IPS. The solution is very simple. Handover the Command of all CPMFs to cadre officers and the see the results within one year. Cadre officers are specialists in their domains and IPS officers are generalists due to their own wrong direction of career planning. Except policing the IPS officers can be seen holding assignments of varied nature just to avoid postings in remote areas the their cadre states. Hon’ble PM & HM are requested to intervene as early as possible in view of security of our country.
A very good writeup,,,it clarifies the actual problems being faced by the CAPF officers,,,The pathetic conditions where we are denied of basic financial rights visa Viz the civilian counterparts,,,time has come where the emphasis has to be on internal security and the importance of CAPF has to be understood,, Thanks.
आश्चर्य यह भी है कि अपनी सड़ी-गली पुलिस व्यवस्था जो कि हिंदुस्तानियों का खून चूसने व अपना साम्राज्य अनंतकाल तक बनाये रखने की मंसा से अंग्रेजों ने शुरू की उसे आजतक पुनः सृजित क्यों नहीं किया गया अपितु उनके भ्रस्टाचार व नाकाबिलियत को प्रमाणपत्र देकर इन अर्धसैनिक बलों को उनके भी कामों का ज़िम्मा सौंप दिया गया। सिर्फ इतना भी होता तो शायद कम होता परंतु यह भी विसंगति जन्म दी गयी कि जिन लोगों व संस्थाओं की नकारेपन व असफलता पर इन्हें बुलाया गया वे ही राज्य में तैनाती के दौरान इनके करता-धर्ता व मार्गदर्शक की भूमिका में रहेंगे। इससे और ज्यादा हास्यस्पद और कुछ नहीं हो सकता था। एक और महान उपलब्धि यह है कि इन् बलों का चरित्र विषुद्ध तरीके से सशस्त्र होने के बावजूद इनमे उच्चपदों पर आयातित भारतीय पुलिस सेवा के अधिकारियों को पदस्थ किया गया जोकि इन् बलों व राज्य पुलिस में बेहतर सामंजस्य रखने के नाम पर इन् बलों में प्रतिनियुक्तियों पर आते रहे। इस योजना का लाभ यह हुआ कि सालों अपने राज्य पुलिस के कार्यकाल में जरूरत से कहीं उत्कृष्ट सेवाएं जिसका प्रत्यक्ष उदाहरण हमारी पुलिस व्यवस्था है देने के उपरांत ये विशिष्ट वर्ग के अधिकारीगण इन बलों में थकान मिटाने व विशेष सेवाएं देने आते रहे जिसका मुख्य फायदा यह हुआ कि समय भी अच्छा गुज़रा और कोई खास जिम्मेदारी भी नहीं लेनी पड़ी। बड़ी से बड़ी घटना में भी ये अफसर “एस0ओ0पी0 का उल्लंघन बताकर” क्षणभर में समस्या को खत्म कर देने की योग्यता रखते हैं। यहाँ इन बातों को इंगित करने का ध्येय ये बताना बिल्कुल नहीं है की पूर्व के किसी प्रतिनियुक्ति पर अधिकार ने कुछ नहीं किया अपितु यह जरूर है कि वह इन बलों की नब्ज़ को छूने में असफल रहे हैं।
यहां यह भी बताना आवश्यक होगा कि इन्ही बलों में अपने अधिकारी भर्ती करने का भी प्रावधान है परंतु उनके पदोन्नति के सीमित क्षेत्र है कारण की विशिष्ट वर्ग व सेवा के अतियोग्य अधिकारी जिन्होंने कभी इन बलों के आखरी व्यक्ति की दिनचर्या नहीं देखी,कभी अपने साथियों के साथ जमीन पर जंगल मे नहीं सोये और नाहीं कभी गोलियों की गड़गड़ाहट में सहमे हुए अपने साथी को ये हौसला दिया कि हम सब सही सलामत घर लौटेंगे,उनको प्रतिनियुक्ति के पर्याप्त मौके मिलने चाहिए। ऐसा ही एक चर्चित प्रकरण आप सभी के इर्दगिर्द चल रहा है जिसमे पहली बार इन बलों को देश की न्याय व्यवस्था के सिरमौर माननीय उच्छतम न्यायालय ने संगठित सेवा का दर्जा देते हुए उससे संबंधित सभी लाभ इन बलों के अधिकारियों के लिए देय किये। सरकार भी सालों न्यायालय में वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों के एक समूह के साथ इन् बलों के विपक्ष लड़ते हुए केस को हार गई उसके उपरांत संगठित सेवा व उससे संबंधित लाभ देने की घोषणा कर दी। अपने स्वाभिमान को सर उठाकर आकाश की तरफ उत्कर्ष करते देख बल के सभी अधिकारी सालों से चली आरही न्यायिक लड़ाई की खटास को भी भूल गए। भूल गए यही सरकार और यही वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों का संगठन इनके विपक्ष में पिछले सात वर्षों से न्यायालय में लड़ रहे थे। तदोपरांत भी व्यवस्था में दबी हुई साम्राज्यवादी सोच वाले अपना दम तोड़ने को तैयार नहीं,जो उनका नहीं उसपर अधिकार छोड़ने को तैयार नहीं,तो मुझे भी आज यह कहते कोई संकोच नहीं कि इन् बलों की इस दशा, जिसमे निचले से निचले कार्मिकों के सामान्य जीवन संबंधी हालात हो या फिर परिचालन में उठाये गए नुकसान के कारण बल के कार्मिकों की हतास मनोदशा हो,इनके लिए यह वरिष्ठ पदों पर पदस्थ हमारे नर के रूप में व्यवस्था में नारायण बने अवतारों को मुख्य ज़िम्मेदारी लेनी चाहिए और इनकी जिम्मेदारी है। जो कुछ अच्छा या लाभदायक सरकार द्वारा या माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय के द्वारा जारी आदेश के माध्यम से किया जा रहा है उसमें अपनी साम्राज्यवादी सोच के वसीभूत हो जो अड़चने इस समूह द्वारा डाली जा रही हैं उनसे आपने इन बलों के कार्मिकों की नज़रों में अपनी बची हुई इज़्ज़त भी ख़ाक में मिला दी है। अंततः यही सत्य है कि हार तो आप सब चुके हैं अब इंतज़ार है विनम्रतापूर्वक आपके द्वारा अपनी हार स्वीकार किये जाने का और सही उत्तराधिकारियों को उनका अधिकार सौंप अपनी सच्चे कर्तव्यों का पालन करने जोकि आपका इंतेज़ार कहीं और संभवतः आपके महकमें में कर रहे हैं। यकीन मानिए इतना पानी बह जाने के बाद भी आपके ऐसा करने पर इन् बलों की महान परंपराओं के अनुरूप आपको आदर ही समर्पित किया जाएगा।
IPS Officers are singularly failing their duty of maintaining law and order. They are are a service that has all the top posts and knows nothing about their under-command. Although, this may still work with their commanding the States’ Police forces, but not when it comes to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), which are also called the Paramilitary.
CAPFs heavily lean towards military culture and their work ethic. Many feel that using the term Armed “Police” for them is a misnomer, hence the term”Paramilitary forces” is also interchangeably used with CAPFs. Right from the Rank structure to the training, these forces are essentially like our much respected Indian Army, and I’ll explain how they’re not Police. Recently, at the last rites ceremony of ex-Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra in Supaul, Bihar Police was to honour him with 21 fire-shots. Can you imagine that none of their 21 rifles worked! The readers may remember how the “thain thain” sounds were made by a UP Policeman to mimick gunshots as his weapon stuck during an encounter. This has not, and can never happen in the CAPFs. My point is not to insult the State Police. They also do wonderful work at times. My point is that the IPS are meant to head the State Police because there, policemen do not die when weapons seize, which is quite often. There, things do not come down to firce gun-battles, involving projectile bombs and rocket launchers. How can the IPS know about these, having infinitesimal know-how of heavy weaponry and combat! They can’t even ensure that their rifles work in a last rites ceremony, and take faulty weapons to encounter sites! The CAPFs, however, are thoroughly professional with the upkeep of their weapons and ammunition, for their working is a matter of life and death of them.
So, why then, the CAPFs have remained unsung to such an extent, that people forget to even know them, let alone thank them.
These IPS officers come clearing “Civil” Services exam, and sit on top posts of CAPFs. They are also called paradropped officers by the CAPF cadre officers, who come clearing the UPSC-CAPFs exam. In fact, the cadre officers have to clear a stringent physical and medical exam as well, with standards that are further heightened during the training periods in their reapective Officers’ Academies. Their minds are engraved with force culture. On the other hand, a recent news of an IPS Director General saluting back a special guard in civil dress confirms that the IPS babus can never provide good leadership to CAPFs as they do not even know the basics of these forces. How will they project the great work done by the CAPFs? And an even bigger question is why would they project it?
The IPS come on deputation to CAPFs on the Inspector General (IG) rank and above. These are key posts with all the policymaking powers. But, they come to enjoy the plum-postings. Their tenure here is all about getting lavish offices with designer decor done, getting the best of Government cars and bungalows, and infinite other perks, while showing utter indifference to the men they command. Had only 4 CRPF men died in Pulwama Attack, amd not 44, the media wouldn’t have given it that big a footage, and neither would’ve the IPS projected the loss of the men of my force.
The cadre officers of CAPFs are much more worthy and capable to sit on the topmost seats and command their own men — the men with whom they’ve trained, taken punishments and broke bread in training centres, been in combat and life-threatening situations, in serving the same force for so long. The cadre officers command the respect and love of their men. “Mera Sahab badhiya aadmi hai. Mere saath commando course kiya tha. Jawan ka khoob dhyan rakhta hai. Sahab DG banega toh bal ko sudhaar dega”, a Hawaldaar once told me pointing to a senior cadre officer of CRPF. It is not like an IPS of West Bengal cadre coming to chill in BSF or CRPF on deputation for 4 years. The cadre officers are UPSC qualified Gazetted Officers with expertise in their respective areas of responsibility. They had been commanding their jawans since the time they joined these forces, and after years of service when the time comes to make policy decisions for the betterment of their forces, they are pushed aside by IPS officers having no sense of belongingness for the CAPFs. Isn’t this injustice?
The cadre officers of CAPFs are now taking a stand against their IPS bosses, who have invaded the cadre and have an elitist mindset, with wanting to enjoy a juicy tenure for as long as they can. The Honourable Supreme Court has already reiterated the judgement of Delhi High Court, granting CAPFs the benefits of Organised Group A Services (OGAS), which means that these forces are now to be headed by cadre officers. But, the IPS have a strong sway over the execution of the Court’s orders. They are now trifling with the various documents of the past and arm-twisting the cadre officers with various legalities. The IPS bosses do not want to implement the Court’s orders, and are using the only tactics they know: delay tactics. But, they do not know that we make fighters in CAPFs. They will do good to implement the Honourable Court’s decision and respectfully leave.
Very nice article, hope reaches to GOI
If IPS officers are so serious to serve CAPFs why don’t they demand central govt to form a central police service by amalgamating all CAPFs & IPS. It is also intriguing as to what wisdom the IPS officers get overnight while in state police, that they become expert of border guarding and anti-terror operations. Why the GOI not reviewing existing system of deputation of IPS to.all sort of irrelevant departments like Rural development or fisheries or Renewable Energy or Telecom etc. How are theses related to Policing? It’s not a simple issue of IPS hegemony over IPS rather it is an issue of hegemony of IPS over all other central and state services, except IAS. This British legacy of overloading by 1 service as the central command of Crown must be ended now. IPS needs radical reforms.
You hv hit bulls eye in yr … nothing better can summarise
Absolutely right deliberation of the facts sir. The need of the hour is to implement the OGAS and NFFU in letter and spirit.
A sincere article.Brig VAM Hussain(R)