Learning from ultras: Assam DGP suggests umbrella body for cops

forces across the Northeast have taken a leaf out of the book of militant groups for a united front.

Assam’s director general of police Mukesh Sahay suggested on Thursday the creation of an umbrella organisation of police forces in eight states in the region.

He put forth the idea at the 24th conference of director generals (DGs) and inspector generals (IGs) of police of the Northeast.

Satyendra Garg, joint secretary (Northeast) in the ministry of home affairs, attended the meeting, besides officers of region-specific paramilitary forces such as Shokin Chauhan, director general of Assam Rifles. The plan includes West Bengal police for strategic reasons.

“The Assam police chief said if militants can have an umbrella organisation, so can the police for better coordination among the forces across the Northeast. All DGs and IGs endorsed the idea while Garg seemed to appreciate it,” a senior police officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre said.

The diverse militant outfits of the Northeast currently have two umbrella organisations. One is the United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW), a front comprising six groups, including SS Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent and National Democratic Front of Boroland.

The other is the Manipurbased organisation Coordination Commitee or CorCom that has groups such as the Kangleipak Communist Party and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup.

The groups often coordinate for subversive strikes in each other’s territories and beyond.

The police chiefs of states bordering Myanmar suggested fencing of the 1,643 km India-Myanmar border but Garg said it would not solve the problem because of “difficult terrain and common ethnicity on either side of the border”. He added that “rather the Assam Rifles should realign for a stronger border posture”.

Shokin Chauhan, the directorgeneral of Assam Rifles offered training at the Assam Rifles Training Centre in Nagaland’s Dimapur.

Chauhan also suggested joint operations and patrolling by the police and Assam Rifles.

Indian envoy to China Vijay Gokahle would be staying back in China till October before he takes over as secretary (economic relations) at the foreign ministry headquarters.

Meanwhile, Indian envoy to Poland Ajay Bisaria could be sent as high commissioner to Pakistan, should incumbent Gautam Bambawale get the Beijing posting, sources said.

But sources said it would take a while before the government finalises the name for the next envoy to China as the two contenders, Bambawale and Indian envoy to Bangladesh Harshvardhan Shringla, have equally strong credentials.

Bambawale, who retires from service next year, will have just 10 months if he is sent to Beijing. Shringla has five more years in service and this may work to his advantage as a longer term is seen ideal for such a sensitive posting, especially in the present circumstances.

Sources said envoys with reasonably long tenure help in handling important postings, though this is not strictly followed. The government can give extension to any ambassador. Except in the case of foreign secretary S Jaishankar, the government so far hasn’t extended the tenure of foreign service officers in key positions.

If Bambawale—who has extensive experience in dealing with China — gets the posting, Ajay Bisaria, an Indian Foreign Service Officer of 1987 batch could be headed to Islamabad.

Gopal Baglay, the spokesperson and most visible face of the foreign office, is tipped to be joint secretary in PMO. HTC