Context:
The Assam Rifles recently moved additional troops to secure a bridge on a national highway in south Manipur.
Relevance:
GS II: Polity and Governance
About Assam Rifles:
Background:
- The Assam Rifles is a central armed police force and the primary counter-insurgency force in the Northeast region of India.
- It holds the distinction of being the oldest paramilitary force in the country.
- The lineage of the force can be traced back to the formation of Cachar Levy, a paramilitary police force established by the British in 1835.
- Over the years, the force underwent several name changes, including the Assam Frontier Police (1883), the Assam Military Police (1891), Eastern Bengal and Assam Military Police (1913), and finally becoming the Assam Rifles in 1917.
Role:
- The Assam Rifles is responsible for maintaining law and order in the Northeast region, in collaboration with the Indian Army.
- It plays a crucial role in guarding the Indo-Myanmar border in the region.
- The force is often referred to as the “Sentinels of the Northeast.”
Headquarters and Motto:
- The headquarters of the Assam Rifles is located in Shillong, Meghalaya.
- The force operates under the motto “Friends of the Hill People.”
Control:
- The Assam Rifles is unique among paramilitary forces as it has a dual control structure.
- While the Ministry of Home Affairs has administrative control over the force, its operational control lies with the Indian Army, which operates under the Ministry of Defence.
-Source: The Hindu
