Parkash Singh Badal demands more BSF personnel in Punjab

Increased infiltration in neighboring Jammu and Kashmir and the Gurdaspur terror attack have prompted Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to ask for more Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on the Pakistan frontier in his state.

Increased infiltration in neighboring Jammu and Kashmir and the Gurdaspur terror attack have prompted Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to ask for more Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on the Pakistan frontier in his state.

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The need for more security in the borders districts was felt after some Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Dinanagar and killed a few cops and civilians. Badal was at Talwandi Raikot on Sunday, speaking at the first death anniversary of veteran Akali leader Jagdev Singh Talwandi and addressing the huge gathering of devotees at the historical Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib. Lauding the Punjab Police efforts though, Badal said that they had done well to bring down drug smuggling.

Asked what measures the state government had taken to check further cross-border infiltration, the CM said: "Sealing the international border is the Centre's job. Looking at increased infiltration and ceasefire violations by Pakistan in our neighboring state, and after the Gurdaspur terror attack especially, the Centre must deploy more BSF personnel along the Pakistan border in Punjab."

On the issue of sugarcane farmers' outstanding payments, he said: "We have formed a high-level committee to examine all related aspects and submit a full-fledged report." He avoided answering the question about the recent suspension of two MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying "it is their internal matter".

People from Raikot and its surrounding districts thronged the historical gurdwara to pay homage to the veteran Akali leader. Several local and state-level political leaders were present.