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Patna: Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Central Government for equal respect, recognition, and facilities to paramilitary forces, akin to those extended to the Indian Armed Forces.

In his letter dated May 14, which he shared on social media platform X on Tuesday, Tejashwi highlighted the critical role of forces like 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) in maintaining internal security, fighting terrorism, and guarding the country’s borders.

“While these personnel often make the supreme sacrifice, their compensation, honour, and welfare provisions are not at par with those of the Army, Navy, and Air Force,” Tejashwi said.

He termed the existing disparity as “unfair and discriminatory”, stating that martyrs from paramilitary forces deserve the same dignity and posthumous benefits as those from the regular armed forces.

He emphasised that both forces contribute equally to the defence and security of the nation.

Tejashwi asked the Centre to declare paramilitary martyrs as ‘Battle Casualties’ so that their families are eligible for enhanced compensation and benefits, equal access to government support, including jobs, pension and educational assistance for families of martyrs.

He sought automatic implementation of the liberalised pension scheme for families of deceased personnel and extension of One Rank One Pension (OROP) to paramilitary personnel working in similar risk conditions.

Tejashwi appealed to the Union Government to act urgently to address the disparity, stating that the families of paramilitary martyrs continue to suffer from neglect despite their courage and sacrifice.

“I urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate policy reforms that ensure equality, dignity, and justice for all security forces,” Tejashwi said.

The RJD leader’s letter comes at a time when issues of internal security and the welfare of uniformed personnel are under the national spotlight, particularly following recent clashes and sacrifices by paramilitary personnel across the country.

Recently, during ‘Operation Sindoor’, some paramilitary personnel made a supreme sacrifice in the line of duty to save the nation, and one of them was BSF SI Mohammad Imtiaz of the Saran district of Bihar.