Mizoram’s lone Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena has urged the Centre to raise a separate Mizo Regiment in the Indian Army under the Union defence ministry, said an official statement on Friday.
K. Vanlalvena, who is currently camping at the national capital, on Thursday called on Union defence minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to initiate steps for raising Mizo Regiment in the Indian Army or Mizoram Rifles under the Union home ministry, the statement said.
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While giving justification to his request, Vanlalvena recalled the dignity and valour displayed by the Mizos in resisting subjugation by the British and how two Mizo chiefs – Dokulha Chinzah and Ropuiliani – spent the rest of their lives in jail fighting against British raj and not surrendering themselves till their last moments.
The newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP told Singh that it is of vital importance to guard the state’s long international border and that raising a Mizo Regiment or Mizoram Rifles is not only in the interest of the state to solve unemployment problem, but more so for national security as the proposed regiment or Mizo paramilitary force can be deployed in these border areas, the statement said.
He expressed optimism that Mizo youths, with their inborn fighter spirit and strong desire to join the Indian Army and paramilitary forces can make up the best regiment or best paramilitary force in the country.
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During the agitation against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised Mizoram NGOs leaders that the Centre would raise a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalion, which will consist of complete Mizo youths, according to a Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) leader.
Mizoram shares a 404-km international border with Myanmar and a 318-km border with Bangladesh.
While the Mizoram-Myanmar border is guarded by Assam Rifles, the Mizoram-Bangladesh border is being manned by the Border Security Forces (BSF).
Both the security forces are playing an important role in safeguarding the borders and checking smuggling of arms and drugs.
In Mizoram, most drugs, especially heroin are smuggled from Myanmar.
On September 28, the BSF had seized 30 arms consisting of 28 AK-47 rifles, one each of AK-74 and US Carbine along with 7894 rounds of assorted ammunition on the outskirts of South Phuldungsei village in Mamit district near the Bangladesh border.
Three people were arrested in connection with the seizure.