E-Paper
BSF jurisdiction: Capt backs move, says force not going to take over Punjab
Capt Amarinder, who resigned as the chief minister on September 18, said there was something very wrong and dangerous happening at the borders, which Punjab could ill-afford to ignore
Chandigarh
Backing the BJP-led central government on the extension of the BSF’s jurisdiction, former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday slammed the Punjab government over its repeated denial of any serious security concerns.
Amarinder, who resigned as the chief minister on September 18 after heading the state government for four-and-a-half years, said there was something very wrong and dangerous happening at the borders, which the state could ill-afford to ignore.
A fortnight ago, the Centre had issued a notification to allow the BSF to “arrest, search and seize” within 50km from the International Border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. Earlier, the BSF was permitted to undertake such operations up to 15km from the International Border in these states.
On Monday, an all-party meeting convened by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi decided to oppose and reject the Centre’s notification by holding a special session of the Punjab assembly.
Hitting out at the Congress regime for opposing the decision, the two-time former CM said the Border Security Force (BSF) was not going to take over Punjab’s administration or be deployed at the Golden Temple. He said sleeper cells of Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Khalistani forces were creating trouble and technology becoming more advanced. “Drones with increasing payload are coming from Pakistan and smuggling drugs, weapons and explosive. The capacity and range of drones is increasing, first they came up to just 5-6km from the border, now they reach 31km,” he said at a press conference, adding: “We have to be careful of the clandestine war from across the borders”.
Calling for full support by the state to the Centre in the interest of national security, Amarinder said the BSF was here to help maintain national security in the border state. “I am not an alarmist, but my 10 years of experience in the army and 9.5 years as the home minister of the state tells me that something is going to happen. Yet, a home minister who has been in his chair for one month, claims to know more than me,” he said, taking a dig at deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who has succeeded him as the home minister of Punjab.
Countering those who mock his concerns of national security, he said it was the duty of every responsible government to tackle such threats. The state government should put the facts before the people and take their help in getting information instead of denying the danger, he added, claiming that political parties were not properly briefed on the issue at the all-party meet held on the issue.
While Punjab Police was a first-class and well-trained force, they were, however, not trained to combat such threats, said the former CM, asserting that they needed the help of BSF and CRPF to tackle the problem. He pointed out that even in the days of terrorism, the army was helping out and nobody took over the state government job.
