SHILLONG: Brig Alok Khurana of HQ 101 Area has contested the report which said that armed forces would not come back after their leave to Meghalaya.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Brig Khurana said, “There is no such order for the Armed Forces i.e. Army personnel posted in Meghalaya. Nor has this commitment been made to any functionary of the state government. As far as testing and quarantine orders are concerned we are fully implementing the instructions as applicable, as decided in consonance with the state government.”
It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had been referring to BSF personnel as armed forces in his tweets — a term which those in the armed forces — Army, Navy and Air Force said was highly misleading. Defence PRO, Wg Cdr Ratnakar Singh had earlier pointed out that the BSF personnel are security forces and not armed forces.
The BSF is one of the six central armed police forces of India and the first line of defence of Indian territory.
In view of the rapid rise in COVID cases among BSF personnel, a meeting was held between the state government and the BSF to review the situation. At the meeting, the IG, BSF had stated that BSF jawans were being asked to remain where they were and not to return to Meghalaya at this point.
