NEW DELHI: The Central government on Monday said the government will put on standby additional forces to meet Tamil Nadu’s requirement of more security in order to address the challenges in the wake of critical health condition of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
“If there is a law and order situation then the Centre is always willing to send extra forces. It is our primary duty to ensure that the State is being helped in whatever possible way they require. Because of the prevailing health condition of the Chief Minister (Jayalalithaa) they may require extra forces which the Home Ministry will be ready to be put on standby, whenever and whatever they require,” Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters.
“They (Tamil Nadu Government) haven’t asked anything formally,” Rijiju said.
Stating that the Central government cannot intervene on its own for any law and order situation in a State, the minister said there are a significant number of Central paramilitary forces personnel available in Tamil Nadu and deployment will be calibrated whenever a need arises.
The Control Room of the Union Home Ministry is monitoring the situation in the State on a 24/7 basis.
As many as nine companies (900 personnel) of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been put on alert and as soon as the State requisitions additional forces, they will be rushed from their locations in Tamil Nadu and from the adjoining States and put at the disposal of the State police, a senior Union Home Ministry official said.