The generals, men in khaki, bureaucrats and kurta-clad politicians have all put on their thinking hats to reeval uate the role of the Assam Rifles in Manipur. The two-century-old force, which is called the ‘Sentinels of the Northeast’, is now facing what some may term an existential crisis.
The Assam Rifles came into being in 1835 as a militia called the Cachar Levy. It was formed with 750 men, mainly to protect British tea estates and settlements against tribal raiders. Later, it was renamed the Frontier Force and its role was expanded to carrying out “punitive expeditions” across the borders of Assam. The force was merged with three Assam military police battalions in 1870. It saw action during World War I—around 3,000 men were sent to Europe and the Middle East—and got its current name in 1917. Its strength today stands at 46 battalions and the primary role has evolved into counterinsurgency in the northeast and security along the borders with Myanmar under control of the Indian Army (it is headed by a lieutenant general rank officer, with sector headquarters commanded by brigadiers).
The Manipur violence has led to heated debates between the critics and supporters of the paramilitary force. Multiple options are now being considered. Should the Assam Rifles be relieved from the Myanmar border and tasked only with counterinsurgency? Or vice versa? Or, should there be a radical change in the form, shape and control of the force? These are some of the questions before the authorities.
Denne historien er fra May 12, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 12, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
