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Journalism of Courage
Carrying an olive branch to Manipur, Home Minister Shivraj Patil is likely to give the state an option to raise its own battalion for tackling insurgency.
The proposed force — to largely include local unemployed youth — would replace Assam Rifles that has triggered off a spate of violent incidents in the state. A few AR personnel have been accused of raping and killing a local, Th. Manorama Devi.
Sources say, the new force for Manipur would be raised under the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) scheme of the Union Government. While the Centre would pay for its upkeep, the force would function under state government.
‘‘It is a way of placating the local population. Not only will the adventurous Manipuri youth get employment, the state will get a force that the people will be willing to trust,’’ a senior Home Ministry official said.
‘‘A large number of youth of the state are anyway carrying arms — sympathetic to the insurgent outfits — with jobs not easy to come by. Moreover, it will be a clear message to the local population that if they are not happy with the presence of Assam Rifles, they can have their own force,’’ he added.
The cost of raising the battalion, training its personnel and arming them with modern weapons will be borne by the Centre. Even the salaries will be taken care of by the Centre. However, the overall control would remain with the state. If the Centre wants to deploy its personnel in some other state, it would have to seek Manipur’s permission, and pay for its services. ‘‘This would make the state independent and it would not have to ask the Centre for additional forces time and again,’’ the official said.
In addition, sources said Patil, during his three-day visit to the North-East from September 4, would assess the ground situation, especially in Manipur. On the first day, he would meet the chief ministers of all northeastern states in Shillong. On September 5, Patil is expected to hold meetings with Manipur Governor S.S. Sidhu in Imphal.
