In a major decision taken by the central government, the Border Security Force (BSF) will now have the power to arrest, search, and seizure to the extent of 50 km inside three states which shares international boundaries with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strong claims that weapons are being dropped from drones across the border and development led to the expansion in the jurisdiction of the BSF.
However, the newly elected Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi has already protested against it and in a tweet said, “I strongly condemn the government’s unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 km belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately roll back this irrational decision,”.
I strongly condemn the GoI's unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 KM belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately rollback this irrational decision.
— Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) October 13, 2021
However, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday (October 13) welcomed the Centre’s decision on enhanced jurisdiction of the Border Security Force, which completely contradicts the Punjab government.
“Our soldiers are being killed in Kashmir. We’re seeing more & more weapons & drugs being pushed by Pak-backed terrorists into Punjab. BSF’s enhanced presence & powers will only make us stronger. Let’s not drag central armed forces into politics,” Amarinder was quoted in a tweet by his media adviser Raveen Thukral.
‘Our soldiers are being killed in Kashmir. We’re seeing more & more weapons & drugs being pushed by Pak-backed terrorists into Punjab. BSF’s enhanced presence & powers will only make us stronger. Let’s not drag central armed forces into politics’: capt_amarinder 1/2
— Raveen Thukral (@RT_Media_Capt) October 13, 2021
(File pic) pic.twitter.com/nu4DhAQnAz
But the state government of Punjab is not happy and a senior police official said, “It’s a very politically sensitive move. The main aim of BSF is to guard borders and stop infiltration. Recent cases have shown they have not been able to guard the delineated line and,” a senior police official claims.
According to him, this may also lead to regular confrontations with local police, and also villagers, when searches and seizures are done. “Their operational duties are around Border Outposts but with these new powers they would also operate well within jurisdictions of some states,” he adds.
However, the BSF official said, “If we have intelligence on any case, we will not have to wait for local police to respond and we can take preventive action well in time,”.
As per the new notification, BSF officers will be able to conduct arrests and searches in West Bengal, Punjab, and Assam. BSF has got the right to take this action under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the Passport Act, and the Passport (Entry to India) Act.
Now the BSF has the legal right to search and arrest just like the state police in the Indian states of Assam, West Bengal, and Punjab.
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