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BSF jurisdiction extension has helped curb drug smuggling: Centre
The BSF has achieved success in curbing smuggling of drugs and other contraband items after extending its territorial jurisdiction along the border with Pakistan and Bangladesh last year, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai told Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has achieved success in curbing smuggling of drugs and other contraband items after extending its territorial jurisdiction along the border with Pakistan and Bangladesh last year, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai told Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Rai also said that the extension of BSF’s territorial jurisdiction in Punjab and some other states was aimed at empowering the border guarding force to discharge its duties more effectively.
The move has been helpful in the wake of use of technologies such as drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – generally having long range – by anti-national forces for surveillance as well as for smuggling of arms, narcotics and fake Indian currency notes, he added.
The minister made the statements while responding to Congress MP Preneet Kaur’s queries on whether the increased jurisdiction had helped curb the drug menace in Punjab, and whether any supply of weapons or drones were caught.
The Centre’s decision last year to extend the BSF’s territorial jurisdiction in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam had triggered protests by opposition parties who claimed the move was an attack on federalism, and interference in the work of state police.
“Due to increased territorial jurisdiction, BSF has achieved success in curbing smuggling of drugs and other contraband items,” Rai said.
The junior minister also listed the items seized in the Area of Responsibility (AOR) of Punjab Frontier of BSF from October 11, 2021, the date of issue of notification extending territorial jurisdiction, till July 15 this year.
Among the items seized were six Pakistani drones, one Indian drone, 314.05 kg heroin, 1.58 kg opium, 48 weapons, 553 bullets, 4.750 kg military grade explosive RDX and ₹1 lakh Indian currency, Rai said.
In a controversial notification on October 11 last year, the Centre amended the BSF Act to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of then existing 15 kms, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.
In Gujarat, which shares a border with Pakistan, the same limit was reduced from 80 km to 50 km, and in Rajasthan, it was kept unchanged at 50 km.
The decision triggered immediate protests from opposition parties as well as Punjab and Bengal governments. Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard days later.
The Centre, however, said the amendment would ensure better and more effective control over transborder crimes in conjunction and co-operation with the state police.
On November 11, the Punjab assembly passed a resolution opposing the Centre’s move. The West Bengal assembly passed a similar resolution on November 16.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power in Assam, accused the Opposition of playing politics with national security.
