CRPF says state police can't wear RAF pattern uniform; matter to be taken up with authorities

By Ankur Sharma
New Delhi [India], May 31 : Unhappy with state police forces wearing Rapid Action Force (RAF) pattern blue uniform, the CRPF has decided to take up the matter with state authorities.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued directions to all states saying only RAF is authorised to wear it.
Even after the MHA issued directions to all state secretaries (Home) for not using blue combat uniform by local police, some states are still using the uniform which is only for Rapid Action Force (RAF).
The matter was raised at a high-level meeting chaired by Director General (DG) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) a few days back.
According to an official communication accessed by ANI, police wings of West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana and Delhi are wearing combat uniforms.
"Police wings Of West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana and Delhi are wearing blue combat uniform (RAF Pattern). In some recent news/social media pictures/videos, police personnel wearing blue combat uniform (RAF Pattern) were shown chased by mob in Kolkata (WB) and similarly personnel of Anti-Riot Battalion of Bihar Police were shown stopping commuters. This is creating confusion in minds of media personnel and denting professional image of RAF/CRPF," say minutes of the CRPF meeting.
CRPF said that the Home Ministry in its letter of May 9 to states and UTs said that Rapid Action Force (RAF), CRPF is authorized by it to wear dark and light blue patches uniform which cannot be used by any other police force.
CRPF has decided to take up the matter with state authorities.
According to the minutes of the meeting, IG RAF will take up the matter with IG concerned of state under intimation and provision directorate will submit the proposal to MHA in this connection.