Tragic Death of CRPF personnel - the Nation should mourn !!!!

Dear (s)

It was gory carnage of killing of 27 CRPF personnel in Narayanpur Dist of Chattisgarh committed by the brutal naxals. There was news in the Press but no paper considered it a matter to have an editorial, primarily because those killed were poor low ranking personnel who earn a pittance and perhaps not worthy of a National mourning, as generally given to any politician.

Many of them were from Assam - it is reported that from the 90s the no. of youths selected from Assam to different paramilitary forces and to Army has risen. These people like their counterparts from other States come from low income groups, have a desire to do something for the Nation also to take care of their family by earning a Govt employment.

What is the Nation doing in return for them. In whole of their service they would only have earned a pittance and little or no saving at all - they have left behind aged parents, young wife, tender aged children. The family will suffer in chill penury to fight the odds of life - all because these courageous jawans chose to do a job of defending their fellow citizens.

They certainly deserve much better treatment and very high compensation.

With grief - Sampathkumar.
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Sometimes beautiful meaning of words have no relevance – a place which means abundance of roses is where there is eternal conflict – worst that even in so called peace times, people suffer. More about this at the end.

Maoists are ideologists following thoughts of Mao Zedong, widely applied as the political and military ideology of Communist party of China. The maoist insurgency is a conflict rooted in many Indian states, which the PM once described as the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country. The Naxalite-maoist reportedly are supported by the poorest of rural population and frequently target tribals, police and Government workers in what is termed as a fight for improved land rights and more jobs for neglected poor. There is a group which support all their actions. Arundati Roy stated that she viewed the death of 76 CRPF personnel in Dantewada as "tragic” and elaborated that they were pawns in a war of the rich against the poor.

Dantewada is a sleepy nagar panchayat in the State of Chattisgarh which was in news due to the ambush and killing of more than 75 security personnel on Apr 6 by maoist cadres. The CRPF personnels were caught in the explosives and were fired from hilltops around. The Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said. "They seem to have walked into a camp or a trap." What was the compensation given to these jawans and how well are the families of these martyrs taken care of by the State ?

Naxal violence has claimed the lives of over 10,000 civilian and security personnel in the last five years. Three months after Dantewada massacre, the CRPF suffered another massive loss in Bastar: 26 of its men were killed when the Maoists attacked a road opening party in Narayanpur district. The casualties may even be higher.

Look at it this way !!

The men who lost their lives are people who had joined the Security forces and were serving the Nation.
In any sporadic event of dissent to a political leader (be it black flag or a stone thrown at him), it is mayhem and blood bath follows. Supporters cannot tolerate anything against their leaders but not many tears are shed for these poor persons who went in pursuit in trying to protect and serve the Government’s policies framed by the politicians. When they die, it is State mourning, flags fly half mast and holidays declared for some.
The Nation which rejoices Cricket, football, V TV, cinema and all other inane entertainment is not jolted – even the muted response is only for a short and transient period; then the familiar tale of complacency and forgetfulness.

How many of us have ever thought of the lives of Army jawans who give their lives for our tomorrow. Tens of thousands of soldiers fight in -50 degree bitter cold at Siachen glacier. Due to corruption and improper policies, they get flimsy gear which certainly does not provide them relief at such weather.
The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalaya Mountains east of the Line of Control between India-Pakistan. India controls all of the Siachen Glacier itself, including all tributary glaciers. At 70 km (43 mi) long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of 5,753 m (18,875 ft) above sea level at its head at Indira Col (pass) on the China border down to 3,620 m (11,875 ft) at its terminus.

Sia" in the Balti language refers to the rose family plant widely dispersed in the region. "Chun" references any object found in abundance. Thus the name Siachen refers to a land with an abundance of roses.

The Kumaon Regiment, India’s specially equipped and trained snow warriors, scaled the lofty heights of Siachen Glacier at about 20,000 feet above sea level and occupied it on April 13, 1984. At highly inclement Centigrade the task was next to impossible, but they accomplished it and made history. SIACHEN IS one of the toughest areas in which Indian soldiers perform their duty — battling not just the enemy, but also the inhuman weather in the endless glacier. Oxygen in the air is 30 percent less than normal, as a result of which soldiers have to wear an oxygen mask at all times. Frostbite, snow blindness, pulmonary and cerebral edema take a huge toll on the soldiers. Due to high altitude, soldiers lose their appetite. Even when hungry, not much stays edible for too long — oranges freeze to the hardness of baseballs and potatoes cannot be dented with a hammer. Soldiers invariably end up losing up to 20kg of their weight in just a three month tenure. According to official figures, 670 soldiers have lost their lives in the glacier till date due to cold weather. The actual figures could be much high; many suffer loss of hearing, eye sight, memory loss, , nightmares and hallucinations.

Whilst everyone else has pay hikes arising out of inflation and get high pay pockets, the soldiers get an extra allowance, a measly pittance.

Many of those joining services and para military forces come from rural villages and hail from poor economic background. Their services, martyrdom is not properly remembered, recognized and compensated.

It is the duty of the Nation to compensate them adequately, care for them and the common man must display their sense of anguish when they suffer. It is our collective duty to honour those in services who toil for our good. Remember that what people earn and enjoy in the city is fully due to the toil, hardship and sacrifice of those who come to serve the Nation.

The death of CRPF personnel is to be mourned nationally ; the State, big Corporates and every one need to ensure that their families are taken care of properly.

With profound grief at this untimely death  – Sampathkumar.