Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lays wreath at National Police Memorial, pays tributes to police, paramilitary forces

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday laid a wreath at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day. It was on this day in 1959 that 10 valiant policemen laid down their lives in an ambush laid by heavily armed Chinese troops at Hot Springs, Ladakh.
In his address, the Defence Minister paid glowing tributes to the fallen heroes, expressing gratitude to the police and paramilitary forces for their service to the nation. He described the armed forces and police forces as pillars of national security, stating that while the former protects the country and its geographical integrity, the latter safeguards society and social integrity.
“The military and police function on different platforms, but their mission is the same – to protect the nation. As we look towards Viksit Bharat by 2047, balancing the external and internal security of the nation is more important than ever,” he said.
On the present-day challenges, Rajnath Singh said, while there is instability on the borders, new types of crime, terrorism and ideological wars are emerging within the society. He pointed out that crime has become more organised, invisible, and complex, and its purpose is to create chaos in society, undermine trust, and challenge the stability of the nation.
Defence Minister commended the police for carrying out their official responsibility of preventing crime, while fulfilling their moral duty of maintaining trust in society. “If people are sleeping peacefully today, it’s due to their confidence in our vigilant Armed Forces and alert police. This confidence is the foundation of our country’s stability,” he said.
Drawing attention to Naxalism, which had been a major internal security challenge for a long time, Rajnath Singh asserted that the concerted and organised efforts of police, CRPF, BSF, and local administration have ensured that the problem did not escalate, and the people in the left-wing extremism-affected areas breathed a sigh of relief. He exuded confidence that the problem would end by March next year.
“Several top Naxalites have been eliminated this year. Those who previously took up arms against the state are now surrendering and joining the mainstream of development. The number of districts affected by left-wing extremism has come down drastically. Areas that were once Naxalite hubs are now becoming educational hubs. Areas that were once known as the Red Corridor have now transformed into growth corridors. Our police and security forces have contributed significantly to this success,” he said.
Defence Minister reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government’s commitment towards ensuring national security, and the police forces engaged in this endeavour. “For a long time, we, as a nation, didn’t fully recognise the contributions of the police. However, under the leadership of PM Modi, the government established the National Police Memorial in 2018 to honour the memories of our police forces. In addition, police have been provided with state-of-the-art weapons and improved facilities. They now have modern equipment such as surveillance systems, drones, forensic labs, and digital policing. Adequate resources are also being provided to the states for the modernisation of the police forces,” he said.
Rajnath Singh called for optimal utilisation of resources, which can only be achieved through coordination and integration with security agencies.
Underlining that society and police are equally interdependent, the Defence Minister stressed the need to maintain a balanced relationship between the two to make the security apparatus even more robust & vigilant. “Policing can function effectively only when citizens work as partners and respect the law. When the relationship between society and the police is based on mutual understanding and responsibility, both prosper,” he said.
A joint parade of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Delhi Police was held as part of the event. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director, Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, DG, BSF Daljit Singh Chawdhary, other heads of CAPFs, retired DGs, and officers from the police fraternity attended the event.