BSF jurisdiction row: AAP, SAD to attend all-party meet on Monday

While Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu will represent the Congress at the meeting to be held at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh, AAP and SAD have deputed two leaders each for the meeting

The opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have decided to attend the all-party meeting convened by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday to deliberate on issue of jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjab.

AAP Punjab unit president Bhagwant Mann will represent the party at the meeting.

While Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu will represent the Congress at the meeting to be held at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh, AAP and SAD have deputed two leaders each for the meeting.

AAP state unit president Bhagwant Mann and Sunam MLA Aman Kumar Arora will represent the party at the meeting. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has deputed former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema.

The Union home ministry’s decision to extend the jurisdiction of BSF from the existing 15km to 50km from the International Border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam has riled all major parties in the state.

Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has vehemently criticised the extension, declaring that his government will not accept the decision as “it is against the spirit of federalism”. He later also sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to “relook and restore” the status quo that existed before the October 11 notification regarding BSF’s jurisdiction.