Row over expansion of BSF’S powers escalates
NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: The row over the Union government’s amendment of the Border Security Force (BSF) Act — extending the Border Security Force’s effective jurisdiction to 50 km from the international border up from 15 km in the border states of Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam — continued with the Congress, which governs Punjab, and the Trinamool Congress, which governs West Bengal, ascribing political motives to the change.
Assam, ruled by a Bharatiya Janata Party government, has not complained about the change. The changes in the law have standardised the jurisdictional area under BSF to 50 km in other border states too, reducing it from 80 km to 50 km in Gujarat, and maintaining it at 50 km in Rajasthan.
On Wednesday, a BSF spokesperson said the decision would enable “improved operational effectiveness in curbing transborder crime.”
Officials in India’s security establishment point to the increasing threat posed by drones, especially in terms off dropping money, drugs, explosives, and small arms well into Indian territory from across the border, and explain that this necessitated the change.
But the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal hit out at the Centre for what they called an infringement on the state land. The Congress added that the move curbs the power of state police and its senior leader Manish Tewari, an MP from Punjab, even suggested
the chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi “not accept” the new rules.
West Bengal has the longest and one of the most porous international borders. The state shares 2216 km international border with Bangladesh. It also shares around 100km border with Nepal and 183 km border with Bhutan. Punjab shares international border with Pakistan.
The Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala too criticised the move, tweeting that it went against “federalism”.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress floor leader in the Lok Sabha termed it as a “brazen infringement” and warned
union home ministry that if they don’t stop “Chherkhani” (interfering), they will face the consequences”.
Some SAD leaders, including party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, were briefly detained by police on Thursday when they tried to march towards the governor’s residence to protest the Centre’s decision. Badal later met Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and apprise him that the Centre’s move to “attack the federal structure” is not good.
The Akali leader later claimed, “Through this order, Amritsar city, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka and virtually half of Punjab will come under their (BSF’S) domain. Law and order will eventually come under the
Centre’s control.”
Punjab CM Channi on Wednesday dubbed it as “unilateral decision” and a “direct attack on federalism”.
“This is a condemnable decision. This is infringing upon the state’s land through the back door. The party is seriously looking into this,” said Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson and the party’s state general secretary on Thursday.
The Bengal BJP supported the new system, “We welcome this decision. The BSF should be given more teeth so that they can work independently and also should be given more man power,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson in West Bengal.