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More powers to BSF: Punjab CM urges PM to restore status quo
On October 11, the Union ministry of home affairs had extended the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 kilometres to 50 kilometres in areas along the international borders in Punjab, Assam and West Bengal
Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore the status quo that existed before the central government expanded the Border Security Force’s jurisdiction in Punjab.
In his letter, Channi also urged the Prime Minister to give him an appointment for a meeting on the issue.
On October 11, the Union ministry of home affairs had amended the Border Security Force (BSF) Act, 1958, to extend the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 kilometres to 50 kilometres in areas along the international borders in Punjab, Assam and West Bengal.
Channi wrote that while the BSF was trained to guard and secure the international border as the first line of defence, policing in the hinterland was the duty and responsibility of the state/local police. Moreover, the Punjab Police was a professional force fully competent to handle any law and order situation within the state.
The chief minister shared that Punjab Police dealt with terrorism effectively in the past, which would not have been possible without effective coordination between Punjab Police and central agencies.
He said joint operations had been conducted successfully against drug traffickers and terrorist modules because of excellent coordination between BSF and Punjab Police in the recent past.
Making a strong plea to review the entire matter, the chief minister said there were no justifiable reasons for unilaterally changing the existing arrangements by the Government of India.
He said authorising BSF to undertake search, seizure and arrest without consulting the state governments amounted to encroachment upon the powers and role of the state by the Centre and an attempt to disturb the federal structure of the Constitution.
