Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the July 20 student protest crackdown in the national capital, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh has assured personnel that the force’s leadership will stand firmly behind officers and jawans acting in good faith while performing their duties.
Addressing newly inducted personnel during an investiture ceremony on Wednesday, the CRPF chief urged members of the force to discharge their responsibilities confidently and without fear. He said that any decision taken in the bona fide discharge of official duties would have the full backing of the organisation, adding that he would personally accept responsibility wherever accountability was required.
“As the Director General of the CRPF, I assure each one of you that whether you are serving in an operational battalion or a law-and-order unit, any decision or action taken in the bona fide discharge of your duties will have my support. Continue to perform your responsibilities fearlessly. Wherever accountability needs to be taken, I will take it as the Director General,” Singh said.
Although the Director General did not directly mention the July 20 protest, his remarks came amid allegations that security personnel used excessive force, including pellet guns, electric batons, tear gas and lathi charge, while dispersing demonstrators during the ‘Chalo Sansad’ march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
CRPF Headquarters Reiterates Support
Earlier this week, the CRPF headquarters issued a similar message assuring officers and personnel that all bona fide actions carried out in the line of duty would receive institutional support.
According to PTI, the CRPF leadership appreciated the restraint, professionalism and endurance displayed by personnel while handling challenging law-and-order situations. Senior officials also maintained that operational decisions taken in the interest of national security would continue to receive the backing of the headquarters.
The force further stated that a formal Court of Inquiry would be initiated only if the ongoing internal assessment by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and CRPF concludes that personnel violated standard operating procedures (SOPs) or acted improperly during the operation.
The Director General added that a comprehensive post-event assessment would be conducted following the conclusion of the protests to evaluate the deployment and operational response.
July 20 Protest Continues to Spark Debate
The remarks come as the political and legal debate over the July 20 protest continues. Protesters and several media reports have alleged that security personnel used pellet guns and other crowd-control measures while dispersing demonstrators.
The CRPF, Rapid Action Force and Delhi Police have denied allegations of excessive force. However, multiple media reports have claimed that pellet guns were issued to personnel deployed during the protest.
During a discussion in Parliament on Wednesday, Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh stated that only tear gas was used to disperse protesters and asserted that no bullets were fired during the operation.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties have demanded accountability over the handling of the protest, with allegations directed at the Union Home Ministry. The government has rejected those claims, maintaining that law enforcement agencies acted within established legal procedures.
