Shillong, May 8:Thousands of ex-servicemen of Assam Rifles are unhappy over not getting honour with the posthumous final salute.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Confederation of Ex-Paramilitary Forces Martyrs Welfare Association, New Delhi, said it is disappointed with the excuse given by the Assam Rifles for not organising specific events on demise throughout the country as the Assam Rifle is a Northeastern centric force and deployed in counter insurgency operations in the area and hence it is not possible for such an arrangement.
The Assam Rifles mentioned about providing funeral aid of Rs 12,000.
“Please note that the BSF, ITBP & SSB are also deployed on border while the CRPF is deployed in Chattisgarh, naxal and militancy affected areas and Jammu & Kashmir while the CISF is deployed in airports, harbours/metros and other government buildings among others”, it pointed out.
Ranbir Singh, General Secretary of the Confederation, said honouring retirees on demise during their last rites is a gesture of giving respect to them for their service for the nation.
“The excuses put forwarded by the Assam Rifles cannot be accepted. In case of any difficulty in implementing the same, you may take-up the issue with the MHA which is an administrative ministry with a full justification with regard to shortage of static organisation in other states except North East & shortage of manpower etc.”, Singh said in the statement.
In this regard, an ex-CAPF delegation met Governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhavan and DG Assam Rifles here on April 12.
The delegation sought the intervention of the governor so that the DG Assam Rifles can take up the issue with the Ministry of Home Affairs at the earliest.
