Amid escalating political debate over the security response during the anti-NEET protests in the national capital, CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh on Thursday assured personnel that they should continue carrying out their responsibilities without hesitation, stating that he would personally accept accountability for actions taken in the bona fide discharge of duty.
His remarks come as allegations over the alleged use of pellet guns and excessive force during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march continue to dominate the political discourse.
CRPF Chief Assures Personnel of Full Support
Speaking at a CRPF investiture ceremony, Singh expressed confidence in the force and encouraged officers to remain committed to their responsibilities while maintaining professionalism. “As the Director General of the CRPF, I want to assure each one of you that whether it is an operational battalion or a law-and-order unit, whatever decisions you take and whatever actions you carry out in the bona fide discharge of your duties, I take responsibility for all those decisions and actions.”
He further added: “Continue to perform your duties fearlessly. Wherever responsibility or accountability needs to be taken, I will take it as the Director General.”
Review Ordered Into RAF Operations
The CRPF has also announced that it will conduct a “professional post-event assessment” of the Rapid Action Force’s deployment during the protests after demonstrators dispersed and the agitation concluded.
According to the force, the review is part of its standard operating procedure and is designed to examine operational decisions, crowd-control measures and the overall handling of the situation before presenting an official assessment.
Political Heat Over Protest Response
The development comes after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged in Parliament that security personnel used pellet guns, electrically charged batons and nail-studded lathis against students during the demonstrations linked to the alleged NEET paper leak.
The accusations have intensified demands from Opposition parties for greater accountability over the police and security response to the protests.
RAF’s Role Under Spotlight
The Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) tasked with riot control and crowd management, was deployed during the protest march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament.
With the CRPF now initiating an internal operational review, the findings are expected to clarify the sequence of events and evaluate whether established procedures were followed during the crowd-control operation.
