Now,DGP says CRPF is a fit force

After receiving flak for his remarks about the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Vishwaranjan on Friday praised the CRPF,saying that its competency cannot be questioned because of one or two setbacks.  

The CRPF is a well established professionally trained force that has fought anti-insurgency battles in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states. Along with the state police,the CRPF has been fighting the battle against Maoists for many years, he said in a statement issued to clarify his earlier remarks about the CRPF. One can see in the entire history of wars that even well-trained military has committed mistakes. It doesnt mean that the military is bad, the statement said.

Vishwaranjan said a local news channel was repeatedly airing his one-line comment without giving its full context which,he said,was not appropriate. He had said Thursday,If the CRPF keeps getting ambushed,what we can do? Can we teach them how to go about it? He clarified that this comment,was in a different context regarding the CRPF and technical operations.

The Chhattisgarh DGPs statement came at a time when the state police and the CRPF were trying to hammer out differences,particularly in the light of growing criticism that lack of coordination between the police and para-military forces was adversely affecting the anti-naxalite operations in Bastar.