Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday appealed to Naxal and Maoist forces operating in the country to lay down arms, adding that in a democracy like India, there is no place for violence.
"Naxals and Maoists, operating in certain parts of India, should abjure violence. In a democracy like India, there is no place for violence and the left wing extremists (LWE) should join the mainstream," Singh said, while addressing the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Diamond Jubilee Parade here.
Singh further referred to the CRPF as an 'organisation that upholds democracy', adding that despite being deployed in hostile areas, the force has always completed its assignments.
"The government is sensitive to the needs of our paramilitary forces. The CRPF is a veteran organisation which upholds India's democracy. The supreme sacrifice made by CRPF jawans should never be forgotten and the government recognises the sacrifices made by the forces," he said.
"The CRPF has lost many lives in fighting the 'proxy war' launched against the country. The CRPF is deployed in many critical areas and works in very hostile conditions but it always completes its assigned task," he added.
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The minister further said that the CRPF not only plays an active role in facing the challenges of internal security, the force also provides security cover during elections.
"Around 38 percent of the CRPF is deployed in the hazardous LWE theatre and around 80 percent of the force works in a high risk zone. During my visit to Saranda jungle in Jharkhand, I saw the work done by the CRPF and it deserves credit for its ability to work in adverse conditions," he said.
"The CRPF not only plays an active role in facing the challenges of internal security but also provides security cover during General Elections. I congratulate the CRPF on completing 75 years of its foundation. The CRPF has passed many 'Agneepareekha' and I am proud to say that it has succeeded in all these tests. The CRPF is one of the largest paramilitary forces in the world," he added.
