New Delhi: Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Amit Shah preside over as Chief Guest at the 27th Anniversary celebrations of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) of the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF), in Ahmedabad today. Shri Shah also presented gallantry medals to the family members of the jawans who have laid their lives in the line of duty.
Delivering his address on the occasion, the Home Minister paid rich tributes to the officers and jawans who have dedicated their service to build a force to reckon with and be proud of. He especially mentioned the supreme sacrifice made by over 34000 soldiers of Indian police and paramilitary forces to guard the country’s borders and maintain internal security. He extended his tributes to the family members of these brave officers and soldiers. Shri Shah added that the mere mention of RAF’s name and its presence is enough to prevent riots by dispersing the anti-social elements in the beginning itself.
Shri Shah said that the Narendra Modi government has paid a true tribute to the supreme sacrifice made by these brave hearts by removing the Article 370 and 35A and laying down the foundation of a lasting peace in Kashmir. This step was the need of the hour so as to ensure that there is peace and development in the state and that the blood of our soldiers is not spilt any more. No government could dare for the last 70 years to take a decision that the sacrifices of the soldiers was asking us to take. Shri Shah congratulated the PM for taking such an unprecedented bold decision and assured the people of Kashmir that growth and development would return to them in an environment of peace now. He expressed confidence in the ability of the security forces to give a befitting reply to any attempt to disturb peace in Kashmir.
Remembering Sardar Patel for his contribution to create a unified India, Shri Shah observed that Indian Police became truly Indian only after Sardar Patel laid down the foundation of the Indian Police Administration in independent India. He said that with the kind of religious, linguistic diversity our country of 130 crore people has, conflicts are natural to arise. Yet, the police and paramilitary forces jawans, without caring for their personal safety and security, have always ensured that the internal security of the country is maintained.
Shri Shah said that the credit of boosting growth and development in the country by maintaining peace goes to the jawans who have made the supreme sacrifice towards this cause. To honour these sacrifices Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has dedicated a National Police Memorial in New Delhi, to the Nation. The PM would release the logo of the memorial on this October 31 (Sardar Patel anniversary), the Home Minister added.
Shri Shah appealed to the people of India to not forget the supreme sacrifice the jawans make so that each Indian can live peacefully. He said that every Indian must atleast once visit the National Police Memorial to pay tribute to the jawans who have sacrificed their lives in the service of the Nation. The Home Minister talked about instances from Kashmir, Ladakh, Bhuj and other places across India, where CRPF jawans led from the front and displayed indomitable courage in defending the Nation.
The Home Minister specifically mentioned about the terrorist attack on Parliament, where the CRPF jawans prevented them to enter the Parliament and failed the attack. He also remembered the historic ‘Hot Springs Conflict’ in Ladakh sector, where the CRPF jawans valiantly defended the Nation from the fierce Chinese attack. “Every Indian must know that had it not been for these brave soldiers, our beloved Ladakh would not have been with us today. To remember their sacrifices, we celebrate 21st October as ‘Police Smriti Diwas’ each year”, the Home Minister said.
Shri Shah remembered the supreme sacrifice of 2184 CRPF jawans and assured all police and paramilitary force personnel that, “we would move ahead with determination to transform the country into a ‘New India’, under the leadership of PM, Shri Narendra Modi”.
Talking about the RAF, Shri Shah said that the force has created a huge credibility among the people of India by setting an example through its discipline and courage. He informed that five additional battalions have been added to the existing ten in January 2018. With the initiative taken by Shri Narendra Modi, a training academy has been established in Meerut, which would train police and paramilitary force personnel in anti-riot and crowd-control duties. Many foreign police and armed forces have also trained their officers in this training academy, which is a matter of pride for India, Shri Shah added.
The Home Minister noted that whether it is UN missions or rescue operations during natural calamities or awareness campaigns for sanitation, conservation of environment and water or setting up medical camps, RAF has performed brilliantly by establishing a connect with the people at the ground. Shri Shah specifically recognised the contributions of the lady officers of the force and congratulated the 125 lady cadets who took part in the UN peace keeping mission in Liberia. The Home Minister expressed pride that this was the first Indian woman contingent to take part in a UN peace keeping mission.
Concluding his address, Shri Shah said with pride and satisfaction that the force has successfully fulfilled the aspirations of the people and accomplished the aim with which it was established.
