Tejashwi Yadav urges the Indian government to honor paramilitary personnel as martyrs

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday said he has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to declare paramilitary force personnel, who die while defending the country, martyrs.

Yadav, who shared the May 14 letter on X on Tuesday, has also sought "equal respect, recognition and facilities" for paramilitary personnel, akin to those extended to the Indian Armed Forces.

"Personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Assam Rifles (AR) play a crucial role in maintaining internal security, fighting terrorism, and guarding the country's borders," the letter read.

The RJD leader also claimed that when these personnel make the supreme sacrifice, their family members "do not get compensation and honour, similar to those of the Army, Navy, and Air Force", and termed these "unfair and discriminatory".

"Martyrs from paramilitary forces deserve the same dignity and benefits which are given to the regular armed forces posthumously. Both forces contribute equally. The central government must declare paramilitary martyrs as 'battle casualties' so that their families get enhanced compensation and benefits," the RJD leader said in the letter.

Their family members should also get government support, including jobs, pension and educational assistance, he said.

The RJD leader also sought implementation of the liberalised pension scheme for families of deceased personnel and extension of 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) facilities to those in paramilitary forces, working in similar risk conditions.

"I urge the Union home minister to change the existing policy on an urgent basis ... and the central government must ensure equality, dignity, and justice for all security forces," Yadav wrote in the letter.

He said several personnel of the paramilitary forces, hailing from the state, made a supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during 'Operation Sindoor'.

RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha held a press conference here on Yadav's letter to the union home minister.

Jha spoke to PTI Video and shared his views on the controversy around the choice of leaders selected for the all-party delegations that will travel abroad to project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

"Sending delegations overseas was much needed. We saw that several countries, which were provided help by India during their time of need and natural calamities, didn't act friendly...There was a need to reaffirm 'India as an idea'," the RJD leader said.

He also said, "The PM could have done this (selection of political leaders for diplomatic delegations) in a better way. He could have called Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and senior leaders of all parties, such as RJD's Lalu Prasad, before selecting members of these delegations. This would have prevented the present scenario where statements and counter-statements are being issued." Condemning Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah's remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Jha said, "A special investigation team would be constituted to probe the remarks made by him against the Army officer. His comments are highly objectionable and shameful. This is an attack on the morale of the armed forces".

Shah has stoked controversy by calling Colonel Qureishi, who had briefed the media about 'Operation Sindoor', the "sister of terrorists".