19 May,2009 08:50 AM IST | | Anshuman G Dutta
They were air-lifted and zipped around like VIPs when the government needed them to ensure safe and secure balloting. But now that the elections are over, the para-military forces deputed to guard polling stations across the country are stranded at their temporary posts
Personnel of the Central Para-Military Forces (CPMFs) travelled on special train warrants and air tickets to man polling booths across the country.
However, now that the elections are over, the blue-eyed babies of the Indian government are stranded at dirty railway stations waiting to return to their original base.
"How can 850 companies return to their bases on time without any special arrangement from the government?
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The Election Commission directed us to reach polling booths across the country as soon as possible but said nothing about how the jawans will travel back to their bases," said a senior officer from one of the para-military forces, wishing anonymity
Out of all the CPMFs, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) contributed the maximum with 211 companies followed by 205 companies of the Border Security Force (BSF).
Most of these companies were pulled out from critical duties, either from Naxal-affected areas or from international borders with Pakistan or Bangladesh.
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"We try to keep the companies close to their deployment area. But sometimes this rule is very hard to implement," added the officer.
"During the election, the companies are offered decent accommodation in government schools, but as soon as the process is over we are left stranded on railway stations waiting for seats and berths.
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It is very difficult to accommodate entire companies in one regular train so most of the time we leave in small batches," said a CRPF havildar, who was posted in Jammu & Kashmir during the last General elections.
This time, 59 special trains and a number of splinter bogies were hired to move the jawans from one place to another.
Apart from this, Indian Air Force (IAF) transport planes were also roped in to fly jawans and Air India too provided chartered flights.
Interestingly, in one case,u00a0 78 companies were moved from Agartala and Imphal to West Bengal through the Bangladesh air space.
Special permission was granted by the Ministry of External Affairs to overfly Bangladesh and sources said that the Bangladesh government too was given prior information.
Now, the jawans are miffed over the government's negligence. "We are neglected by the government after delivering our services with dedication," said a senior officer from one of the CPMFs, wishing anonymity.
