(Sample Material) Study Kit on Current Affairs for UPSC Mains Examination
Biodiversity, Environment, Security & Disaster Management: Deployment of Central Forces in the North East: Need for a Realistic Security Audit
Gautam Sen
While presiding over a meeting of the Chief Ministers of North-East (NE) states on July 11 at Guwahati, the Home Minister called for a realistic audit of the deployment of central security forces in the region. The Minister hinted at a reduction of these forces, given the Centre’s appraisal that the internal, i.e., insurgency, situation in the region has improved, and taking into account the high level of such deployment during the past few years. The implication of the Home Minister’s remarks is that the Union Government expects the NE states to bear greater responsibility for internal security management in the future. The Minister has, however, assured the chief ministers concerned that Central forces would not be denied to their states if required.
Issues of Concern
The views of the Union Government need to be evaluated in the backdrop of the actual scenario prevailing in the North-East states over the past two to three years. Nagaland remains in a state of political ferment and continues to contend with latent insurgency. Central security forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Assam Rifles have not been able to prevent extortion by the underground groups. In fact, civil society groups like the Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation have had to intervene and oppose extortion. Further, the state has continued to witness incidents of security concern: insurgents have intercepted a state government minister’s vehicle and shot at a chief minister‘s media adviser; more than one insurgent group has engaged in hostile activities in the wake of the NSCN(K)’s withdrawal from its ceasefire accord with the Centre; and a total collapse of the law and order machinery occurred in Dimapur over an alleged rape case. The issue of autonomy in the eastern Nagaland districts of Mon, Kiphere, Tuensang and Longleng has not yet been put to rest. In addition, a significant border fracas had occurred in the disputed areas of Golaghat and Wokha districts of Assam and Nagaland, respectively.