Shekhawat greets CRPF on its 87th Raising Day
Synopsis
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 27 July 2026 extended Raising Day greetings to the CRPF, calling it the world's largest and oldest armed police force and a symbol of service and dedication on its 87th anniversary.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat posted Raising Day greetings for the CRPF on 27 July 2026 .
He described the CRPF as 'synonymous with service and dedication' and the world's largest and oldest armed police force.
The CRPF was originally constituted as the Crown Representative's Police on 27 July 1939 , making 2026 its 87th Raising Day .
The force operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and is deployed in counter-insurgency, internal security, and election duties.
Senior Union ministers routinely issue such greetings on CAPF raising days as a gesture of institutional recognition.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat extended warm greetings to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on its Raising Day, Monday, 27 July 2026, honouring the force as a symbol of service and dedication.
Context
In his post on X, Shekhawat described the CRPF as 'seva aur nishtha ke paryay' — 'synonymous with service and dedication' — and called it the world's largest and oldest armed police force. He extended heartfelt wishes on the occasion of the force's Raising Day, which falls annually on 27 July.
The CRPF's Raising Day marks the anniversary of its original constitution as the Crown Representative's Police on 27 July 1939, making 2026 its 87th year. After Independence, the force was redesignated the Central Reserve Police Force and placed under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Policy Backdrop
The CRPF is India's largest central armed police force and plays a central role in internal security, counter-insurgency operations, and law-and-order duties across the country. It has been deployed extensively in theatres of Left-wing extremism, communal disturbances, and election security.
Union ministers across successive governments have routinely issued public greetings on the raising days of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) as a gesture of institutional acknowledgement. The tradition underscores the political establishment's formal recognition of the sacrifices made by paramilitary personnel.
Stakeholders and Impact
The CRPF's strength runs into several lakh personnel deployed across virtually every state and Union Territory. Raising Day greetings from senior ministers serve as public morale-boosters for a force that operates in some of the country's most challenging security environments.
Families of CRPF personnel, veterans' associations, and the broader internal security apparatus are the primary audience for such institutional outreach. The messaging also signals the government's continued political commitment to the welfare and recognition of paramilitary forces.
What's Next
Parliamentary discussions on CAPF modernisation budgets and deployment orders are expected to remain in focus in the coming months, particularly ahead of scheduled state assembly elections. The CRPF's operational mandate and resource allocation continue to be closely watched by defence and security policy observers.
Point of View
Reflecting the BJP government's consistent public alignment with the paramilitary establishment. Such outreach serves a dual purpose: it reinforces institutional morale within a force of several lakh personnel and their families, while signalling to a security-conscious electorate that senior leadership values the CAPF ecosystem. With CAPF modernisation budgets and deployment decisions periodically contested in Parliament, ministerial visibility on such occasions also builds political goodwill ahead of potential legislative discussions. The tribute fits a broader pattern of the ruling dispensation using social media to maintain high-frequency, low-friction engagement with the security and defence constituency.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is CRPF Raising Day celebrated?
CRPF Raising Day is celebrated every year on 27 July , marking the date the force was originally constituted as the Crown Representative's Police in 1939 .
What did Gajendra Singh Shekhawat say about CRPF on Raising Day 2026?
Shekhawat called the CRPF 'synonymous with service and dedication' and described it as the world's largest and oldest armed police force, extending heartfelt greetings on its Raising Day.
How old is the CRPF in 2026?
The CRPF completes 87 years in 2026, having been founded on 27 July 1939 as the Crown Representative's Police before being renamed after Independence.
What is the role of the CRPF in India?
The CRPF is India's largest central armed police force, tasked with internal security, counter-insurgency operations, law-and-order duties, and election security across the country under the Ministry of Home Affairs .
Why do Union ministers greet the CRPF on Raising Day?
Union ministers issue Raising Day greetings to the CRPF and other Central Armed Police Forces as a formal gesture of institutional acknowledgement, recognising the sacrifices of personnel deployed in challenging security environments.
