The Central Reserve Police Force will henceforth celebrate its anniversary on March 19 every year instead of on different dates every year, rechristening the occasion as ‘CRPF Day’, News18.com has learnt. The parade held to mark the occasion will also be called ‘CRPF Day Parade’ instead of ‘Anniversary Day Parade’.
The CRPF is the only paramilitary force in the country that deviates from its original date of creation, choosing to celebrate the occasion every year on one of the four symbolic dates associated with it:
– March 19 when then Union home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel presented the President’s Colours award to the force in 1950
– July 27 when the CRPF was originally raised as the Crown’s Representative Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch in 1939
– October 31, the birth anniversary of India’s first home minister Sardar Patel
– December 28 when the Crown’s Representative Police was redesignated as the Central Reserve Police Force through the CRPF Act in 1949
The choice of date from among these varied every year in the past depending on the weather conditions and availability of chief guests.
The force has now finalised March 19 to mark its anniversary every year. July 27 and December 28 were reportedly ruled out due to unpredictable weather in monsoon and winter months, while October 31 was avoided since the day also marks former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
“… on many occasions in the past, CRPF Anniversary Parade was celebrated from one among these dates generally, and on many occasions, some other dates were chosen,” CRPF I-G has said in a letter that details the significance of each of the four dates.
According to a CRPF statement, the change in dates was attributable to heavy rain in the month of July, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel coinciding with the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi and extreme winter in Delhi during December, besides the availability of chief guest for the function. It added that the CRPF anniversary has been marked on March 19 every year since 2018.
“The CRPF has redesignated the CRPF Anniversary celebrated every year on March 19 as ‘CRPF Day’. The day bears special significance for the force as it was on March 19, 1950 that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel presented President’s Colour to the force. Among the dates commemorating events of extreme significance for CRPF, March 19 has been chosen by the top brass of CRPF officers from directorate and field formations after considering several factors,” a CRPF spokesperson said.
CRPF D-G also reportedly held a meeting with all zonal commanders and other sector officers on “various issues regarding celebration of 83rd CRPF Anniversary Parade”.
“The reason for celebrating CRPF Anniversary Parade on different dates was discussed in depth and it was unanimously agreed and decided that, henceforth, the CRPF Anniversary Day will be redesignated and celebrated as ‘CRPF Day’ on March 19 every year,” the CRPF said.
Since its formation under British rule in 1939 to its rechristening as CRPF post-Independence, the force has grown in size to comprise sanctioned strength of more than 300,000 armed personnel, 246 battalions, 43 group centres, 22 training institutions and four composite hospitals.
Officials in other forces under other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) said they celebrate their Raising Day on the day their forces were raised but ceremonies get advanced or postponed by a couple of days sometimes.
The Border Security Force (BSF), which is deployed at the border with Pakistan, celebrates its anniversary on December 1, the date it was raised in 1965.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which secures airports and other sensitive installations, marks its anniversary on March 10, the date it was founded on in 1969 with 3,000 jawans.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) celebrates its raising on October 24, the date it was created under the CRPF Act after the war with China in 1962.
The Sashastra Seema Bal originated as the Special Services Bureau on December 20, 1963 and marks its anniversary on the same date every year.
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