Home Guards’ is a voluntary force, first raised in India in December 1946, to assist the police in controlling civil disturbance and communal riots. Subsequently, the concept of the voluntary citizen’s force was adopted by several States.
In the wake of Chinese aggression in 1962, the Centre advised the States and Union Territories to merge their existing voluntary organisation into one uniform voluntary force known as Home Guards.
The Central Government does not directly raise Home Guards. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the States/Union Territories.They are recruited from amongst all classes of people and walks of life, who give their spare time to the organisation for betterment of the community.
Role and Functions of Home Guards
The role of Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary Force to the Police in maintenance of internal security situations, help the community in any kind of emergency such as an air-raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake, epidemic etc., help in maintenance of essential services, promote communal harmony and assist the administration in protecting weaker sections, participate in socio-economic and welfare activities and
perform Civil Defence duties.
Home Guards in border States
Fifteen Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Battalions (Bns.) have been raised in the border States viz. Punjab (6 Bns.), Rajasthan ( 4 Bns.), Gujarat (2 Bns.) and one each Battalion for Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal to serve as an auxiliary to Border Security Force for preventing infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, guarding of VA/VPs and lines of communication in vulnerable area at the time of external aggression.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
QUES . With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements : UPSC PRELIMS 2023
1 . Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards act and Rules of the Central Government.
2 . The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security.
3 . To prevent infiltration on the international border /coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States.
How Many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Ans (b) Statement 1 is not correct. Statement 2 and 3 are correct.
