GUWAHATI, India — Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to over 2,270 CRPF personnel who died serving the nation. The force has anchored India’s internal security for 86 years, he told the gathering at the 87th Raising Day event on Saturday.

Shah called the sacrifices irreplaceable. “The entire nation thanks and pays tributes to them,” he said. CRPF jawans stepped up time and again, he added, shielding the country from threats.

A decade ago, India faced acute challenges in three hotspots: Jammu and Kashmir, left-wing extremism zones, and the Northeast, according to Shah. Bombings, shootings, shutdowns and blockades defined those areas. Today, peace prevails. These regions now fuel national growth, he said, crediting CRPF’s resolve.

“Without the sacrifice of these CRPF martyrs, bringing these hotspots onto the path of development would have been impossible,” Shah declared.

This marks the first time CRPF Raising Day events unfolded in the Northeast, in Assam. Shah called it a point of pride for the region. Since 2019, Central Armed Police Forces parades rotate across India. Hosting CRPF’s in the Northeast highlights its rising importance, he noted.

CRPF started small in 1939 with two battalions. It now boasts 248 battalions and 325,000 personnel, making it the world’s largest such force. The force has guarded India’s sovereignty and internal peace, Shah said.

He recalled key moments. On April 9, 1965, CRPF troops showed extraordinary valor against Pakistani forces at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch. The date now honors their bravery as Shaurya Diwas.

CRPF stood firm even after left-wing extremists killed 78 police in Kolkata, Shah said. The force foiled a terrorist assault on Parliament and blocked a 2005 attack on the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya.

After revoking Article 370 in 2019, Jammu and Kashmir saw no gunfire, thanks in large part to CRPF, according to Shah. Stone-pelting incidents dropped to zero. Industries now invest there, with development surging. CRPF, alongside BSF and Jammu and Kashmir Police, drove these gains. The force also secured peace across Northeastern states.

On left-wing extremism, Shah said Naxalism once gripped 12 states. CRPF and its CoBRA unit led the fight. They uprooted the threat in three years. India aims to eradicate Naxalism entirely by March 31, 2026, he predicted confidently.

In Operation Black Forest, CRPF jawans pressed on for 21 days in brutal terrain. They braved 45-degree Celsius heat on scorching rocky hills. Not one stepped back. They destroyed a major Naxalite base, dismantling red terror’s grip, Shah said.

The minister hailed CRPF’s unyielding spirit. Jawans never falter in duty, he stressed. Their work transformed danger zones into development hubs.