CISF grapples with cuss-word culture

"He called me mother f****r"…. Later, he abused me saying, I will s***w you."

Sentences such as these are frequently getting mentioned in charge sheets filed by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials involving cases of profanities used by one staffer against his colleagues.

Embarrassed at the new trend, the CISF administration has issued a circular directing investigating officials to draft the charge sheets carefully, suggesting to do away with producing versions of aggrieved employees verbatim.

The communication by Inspector General SB Singh says that literal translation of use of expletives should be avoided by recording a complaint as the document may be required to send to higher-ups in various government departments, including executive, legislative and judiciary.

Singh adds, "In our case a large number of women personnel are serving in CISF. Such abusive words are derogatory to the dignity of women. This creates an embarrassment for all officers while discharging their role as disciplinary appellate and revisioning authority."

However, the CISF circular goes on to explain that recording of the swear words can be done verbatim and become part of the inquiry in case there are witnesses to an incident of misbehaviour.

CISF, which came into existence since 1969 to provide security to public sector undertakings, at present has a 1,39,400-strong force. It guards most of the civil aviation airports in the country apart from nuclear installations, space establishments, sea ports, power plants, sensitive government buildings and some monuments.

Insiders say CISF personnel work under extreme stress. In the past few years, there have been instances of staffers venting out frustration on colleagues by using expletives as well as in the form of assault.

Officials said they have started conducting workshops on anger management and workplace etiquette for their staffers at regular intervals so that instances of use of abusive language can be kept in check.