Guwahati, February 18: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will attend the 87th Raising Day Parade of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as the chief guest on February 21 at Sarusajai Stadium. This will be the first time that the CRPF Raising Day Parade is being organised in the Northeast region.

A Director General’s Parade is scheduled to be held on February 19 as part of the Raising Day celebrations. The event is being seen as a significant occasion for the force in the region.

The CRPF was established in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police and was renamed after Independence in 1949. Over the decades, it has played a key role in maintaining internal security across the country. The force is known for its role in incidents such as the 1959 Hot Springs sacrifice, the defence of Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch, and participation during the 1971 war.

The CRPF has been deployed in various operations, including tackling militancy in Punjab, addressing insurgency in the Northeast, responding to the Parliament attack, and performing security duties in Ayodhya, Mathura, Varanasi and Vaishno Devi. It has also contributed to United Nations peacekeeping missions in Sri Lanka, Kosovo, Haiti, Cambodia and Liberia.

Specialised units under the force include the Rapid Action Force for riot control and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) for anti-Naxal operations. At present, the CRPF continues to maintain law and order in Jammu and Kashmir and several parts of the Northeast.

According to official data, 2,270 CRPF personnel have lost their lives in the line of duty, and 2,256 gallantry medals have been awarded to its personnel. The force is also engaged in operations aimed at addressing Left Wing Extremism, with recent operations reported to have targeted Naxal networks.

The February 21 parade will feature marching contingents, demonstrations of traditional martial arts, and display of modern equipment, reflecting the operational preparedness of the force.