Don't let CAPF personnel wear combat uniforms: Army to Defence Ministry

New Delhi -  Army has written to Defence Ministry demanding that CAPFs, deployed to handle law and order situation in country, must refrain from wearing combat dress as this may be "misinterpreted" by people and could have an verse impact on its im and prove detrimental to national interest.

According to Army sources, letter was written on Monday after certain Central Armed Police Forces personnel, deployed along with Delhi Police at protest sites in national capital, were seen wearing Indian Army pattern combat dress.

sources said over a period of time, CAPFs and state police forces in India have started wearing combat uniforms which are just slightly different in appearance from ones worn by Indian Army personnel.

se mir variations cant be distinguished by most civilians giving m impression that personnel wearing such dresses in cities and towns of India while engd in internal security duties, escorting VIPs, on policing duties, static guard posts are Army personnel, letter said.

"Today, events in our country are under constant domestic and international media glare due to rising stature of nation. Wearing of combat dress by CAPFs and state police forces may be misinterpreted as Army being deployed for internal security duties and elections. This may have an verse impact on our im as a vibrant democratic Nation and would be detrimental to our national Interests," Army sources ded.

Army is seen as an apolitical force and maintains its neutrality.

In its letter, Army has requested Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs to issue guidelines that combat dress should t be worn by CAPFs pan India while being pressed in to handle law and order situations and while being deployed in urban areas affected by terrorism as surroundings do t demand such a requirement.

"Use of distinctly different (both in colour and pattern) uniforms by CAPFs and state police forces should be restricted only to deployment in jungle terrain in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas," it said.

Even bulletproof jackets, which cover most parts of torso, should be of plain Khaki colour.

Sale of Army pattern clos in open market needs to be regulated, letter said. PTI PR CK