The Centre’s move to extend the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) to a wider belt along the borders of the three states has created a major controversy in Punjab. This move of the Center has increased the Congress vs Congress crisis in the state.
Days after meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi attacked the decision as he had come under attack from his own party.
According to an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the jurisdiction of the BSF in West Bengal, Punjab and Assam will be increased from 15 km to 50 km within and along the border. After this order, the BSF can arrest, search and seizure in the area by suppressing the powers of the state police in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Pathankot. The Golden Temple is about 35 km from the Attari border with Pakistan. Reacting to the decision, the Punjab Chief Minister tweeted, “I strongly condemn the unilateral decision of the government to give additional powers to the BSF within 50 km of the international borders, which is a direct attack on federalism. I urge Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately withdraw this irrational decision.”
Punjab Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa said, “We condemn this decision. It is a violation of the federal structure and will create an atmosphere of fear in Punjab. People will not tolerate it.” Randhawa said, “Punjab has never witnessed communal violence. We urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to disturb the peace of the state.”
Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar hit out at the chief minister over the home ministry’s order, just a week after his meeting with Amit Shah called for sealing of the international border to check smuggling of drugs and weapons.
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Jakhar tweeted, “You be careful with your demand! Did Charanjit Channi unknowingly manage to hand over half of Punjab’s share to the central government? 25,000 sq km (out of total 50,000 sq km) now placed under BSF’s jurisdiction Do we still want more autonomy to the states?”
Sukhjinder Randhawa said that the Chief Minister never asked for it. Randhawa remarked, “He just appealed to check and seal the supply of drugs and weapons across the border. Both Jakhar-sahib and I are residents of a border area, they shouldn’t have tweeted this.”
