While in the north it is due to counter-insurgency fatigue, in the east and north-east they are stressed as a result of climatic and working conditions.
A review initiative was taken after a jawan attacked his senior recently
KOLKATA: Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are a stressed out lot. While in the north it is due to counter-insurgency fatigue, in the east and north-east they are stressed as a result of climatic and working conditions.
An internal review by the BSF has revealed that in certain cases, climatic and working-condition related stress can prove to be of greater administrative hazard for the paramilitary force than counter-insurgency fatigue, as is evident from the frequent incidences of fragging and civilian-bashing by the BSF jawans posted in the eastern and north-eastern sectors.
Although there have been a series of initiatives in the recent past in equipping the BSF battalions with better and sophisticated vigilance and combat equipment, much more needs to be done. They need better equipment to combat climatic hazards.
The review initiative was taken after BSF jawan RK Saini posted in the Indo-Bangladesh border in Maldah district attacked and severely injured his platoon commander S Yadav with a sickle. On interrogation by senior BSF officials, Saini confessed that he did it out of frustration after being denied leave by his commanding officer. However, the BSF inspector general (south Bengal), CV Muralidhar said that the reason of Saini’s rage was a prior department enquiry for gross insubordination initiated against him a few days ago.
Saini’s case is not an isolated one and in the last two months there have been at least seven reports of BSF jawans entering into unnecessary brawls with civilians in the eastern sector. In many cases, the reasons for the brawl were alleged harassment of local women.
Former IG (south Bengal), S Goyal, feels that lack of women personnel in these battalions is one of the main reason behind the women-related tension. According to him, in the Indo-Bangladesh borders, many women are involved in cross-border smuggling and BSF battalions do not have women personnel to tackle them, which often gives the other party an opportunity to frame charges of sexual harassment. In fact, Goyal, during his tenure submitted a detailed plan on raising a woman battalion.
Although recently, the home ministry has cleared a proposal, they are yet to be deployed. However, many BSF officials do not find the proposal fool-proof. A senior BSF official told DNA that although the proposal calls for recruitment of women constables they do not propose for recruitment of women officers to lead them, which may cause problems.
r_sumanta@dnaindia.net
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