An all-party assembly in Punjab, barring the BJP, Monday handed a unanimous decision rejecting the Centre’s notification enhancing the BSF’s jurisdiction in border states, and mentioned Punjab would take the legislative route if the federal government didn’t withdraw the transfer.
Addressing the media after the assembly that was referred to as by him, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi mentioned the state will write to the Centre to withdraw the notification that expands the BSF’s jurisdiction for search, seizure and arrest to 50 km from the border — from the present 15 km — in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. Channi mentioned he and Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the problem, however have been but to obtain a reply.
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“We’ll name a particular Vidhan Sabha session to cancel the notification if Centre doesn’t accomplish that,” Channi mentioned, including that they have been able to strategy Supreme Court docket.
Addressing the media at a gathering in Siliguri, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee additionally mentioned she had written a letter to the PM towards “the try to intrude with the federal construction of the nation”.
Saying that the state confronted no issues in border areas to warrant such a transfer, she added: “Earlier, they’d jurisdiction up until 15 km, there have been incidents of firing in Balurghat or Cooch Behar. Now, they’ve prolonged it to 50 km. That is an try to intrude with the federal construction… We share very cordial relations [with neighbouring countries]. There isn’t any have to create this confusion. Legislation and order is a state topic.”
Channi mentioned all political events in Punjab have been on the identical web page on the matter. Whereas AAP, the primary Opposition get together, and the Akali Dal attended the all-party assembly, the BJP stayed away.
The BSF has justified the growth of jurisdiction on the grounds of uniformity, saying earlier it diversified from state to state.
In Punjab, the brand new BSF jurisdiction restrict covers many of the cities and the cities on the Amritsar-Jalandhar freeway in Majha area. The Golden Temple, positioned within the centre of Amritsar, is lower than 32 km from the zero line.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was current on the all-party assembly, accused the Centre of misusing Central companies. “Border may be 5 km, 7 km, how can or not it’s 50 km into the state?” he mentioned.
Linking the transfer to the upcoming Meeting polls, he mentioned, “At any time when there are elections in Punjab, a ‘regulation and order state of affairs’ is created. A State is being arrange in one other state… How is that this not President’s rule?”
