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CRPF denies Jogi`s charges of partisan role
New Delhi, Dec 07: The Central Reserve Police Force today vehemently denied allegations of any `partisan` role by the force in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, levelled by former chief minister Ajit Jogi.
New Delhi, Dec 07: The Central Reserve Police Force today
vehemently denied allegations of any 'partisan' role by the force
in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, levelled by former chief
minister Ajit Jogi.
CRPF Director General S C Chaube termed as ''completely
baseless and unfair'' the allegation that at the instance of an
important functionary of the central government the force was
engaged in rigging of the election process in the tribal areas of
Bastar district of the state due to which congress suffered reverses.
Chaube told newspersons that CRPF was deployed in Chhattisgarh to maintain law and order and ward off threats of disturbance to the polling process by Naxalites and other lawless elements.
About a week or ten days before the December 01 polls, the state administration had decided that CRPF personnel would not be deployed at polling booths, carry electronic voting machines, election material or escort polling staff, he said.
The force was only deployed for ''area domination and sanitisation'' of the Naxal affected area as a deterrent, he added.
It was for the first time that such allegations had been made against CRPF, which had played a very commendable role in ensuring peaceful, free and fair polls in different parts of the country in the last 50 years, Chaube said.
''In spite of supreme sacrifices made by the force for smooth conduct of the elections in Chhattisgarh, Jogi had levelled baseless and false allegations which should be best avoided in future lest they have a demoralising effect on the rank and file of the CRPF,'' he said.
Eleven battalions of CRPF were deployed in Chhattisgarh at the request of the state government in connections with the assembly elections. While the force repulsed about 30 attacks, designed to strike fear in the minds of the public and the state agencies in the last 15 days alone, one officer and seven men had been killed and a dozen injured in Naxal violence.
The Director General also claimed that due to confidence inspiring work done by the force, the trial areas of the state had witnessed the highest ever turnout and questioned the rather late timing of the allegations.
Bureau Report
Chaube told newspersons that CRPF was deployed in Chhattisgarh to maintain law and order and ward off threats of disturbance to the polling process by Naxalites and other lawless elements.
About a week or ten days before the December 01 polls, the state administration had decided that CRPF personnel would not be deployed at polling booths, carry electronic voting machines, election material or escort polling staff, he said.
The force was only deployed for ''area domination and sanitisation'' of the Naxal affected area as a deterrent, he added.
It was for the first time that such allegations had been made against CRPF, which had played a very commendable role in ensuring peaceful, free and fair polls in different parts of the country in the last 50 years, Chaube said.
''In spite of supreme sacrifices made by the force for smooth conduct of the elections in Chhattisgarh, Jogi had levelled baseless and false allegations which should be best avoided in future lest they have a demoralising effect on the rank and file of the CRPF,'' he said.
Eleven battalions of CRPF were deployed in Chhattisgarh at the request of the state government in connections with the assembly elections. While the force repulsed about 30 attacks, designed to strike fear in the minds of the public and the state agencies in the last 15 days alone, one officer and seven men had been killed and a dozen injured in Naxal violence.
The Director General also claimed that due to confidence inspiring work done by the force, the trial areas of the state had witnessed the highest ever turnout and questioned the rather late timing of the allegations.
Bureau Report