A top-level unified command meeting to tackle Naxal terror that took place in Raipur on Friday turned into a blame game between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Chhattisgarh state police, with the former blaming the latter of not cooperating during Naxal operations.
According to officials present in the meeting, which was attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Senior Security Advisor (MHA) Vijay Kumar, Chhattisgarh DGP A.N. Upadhyaya and other senior officials of the Home ministry and state police, Raman Singh was personally forced to intervene twice to decrease the anger and the friction between Kumar and Upadhyaya.
The Sunday Guardian in its last edition had written that the recent Naxal attack in Sukma, in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed, had led to a lot of friction between the state police and CRPF, with the CRPF blaming the state police of not extending full cooperation.
Official sources said that Vijay Kumar, who has been blamed by the state police of giving instruction while sitting in New Delhi and not coming to Sukma or Bastar, accused the state police of “running away” before the start of anti-Naxal operation.
“The meeting started at around 12.15 pm and soon enough, Kumar stated that the CRPF was not getting support from the state police and if this did not change, the state police should carry out the operation without expecting support from the CRPF. Kumar also presented evidence that he had collected in the last week to support his case. But the same was strongly denied by the DGP. The CM had to personally intervene twice to cool down tempers that were palpable in the room,” the source said.
The CRPF for long has been blaming the Chhattisgarh police of leaving them alone while tackling the Naxals which they claim leads to preventable fatalities.
“The state police are better aware of the topography, local culture and hence their presence is very much needed during a Naxal operation. However, we do not get that support,” a top CRPF official said.
However, a SP rank officer who has lead multiple anti-Naxal operations, said that the state police had never shied away from helping the CRPF.
“They need to shed their big brother outlook towards us. Their senior advisors need to come to the ground more regularly rather than using the ancient reason of blaming us,” the SP said.