Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that the Centre’s decision to extend the Border Security Force (BSF) jurisdiction has been opposed by the political parties in the state and the outfits have unanimously passed a resolution that the Union Home ministry’s notification is rolled back.
Channi said if the central government doesn’t agree to roll back its decision to expand the BSF’s jurisdiction from the existing 15 km from the border to 50 km, then the political parties decided will be calling a special Assembly session of Vidhan Sabha to address the issue.
The Punjab CM described the issue as a matter related to Punjab and Punjabis. “Law and order is a state subject and it’s like a raid on our rights in the federal structure, all political parties in Punjab will come together in the fight to make Centre withdraw the notification,” Channi was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
After attending an all-party meeting in Chandigarh, Channi informed that a session of the Punjab Assembly will be convened in the next 10-15 days to pass resolutions against the Central government’s notification (extending BSF jurisdiction) and against the three farm laws.
On October 13, 2021, the Centre amended the BSF Act to authorise the BSF to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of the existing 15 km, from the International Border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. The limit has been reduced from 80 km to 50 km in Gujarat, while it has been kept unchanged at 50 km in Rajasthan.
Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have heavily criticised the Modi government and said the move was a design to dilute federalism and an “infringement” on the rights of the state.
