Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the extension of BSF’s operational jurisdiction saying it would strengthen national security and national interest.

Talking to the reporters, Sarma said that in coordination with state police, this move will serve as a strong deterrent for defeating cross border smuggling and illegal infiltration.

On Wednesday, the Centre had empowered the BSF to conduct searches, arrest suspects and make seizures up to an area of 50 km inside Indian territory from the International Border (IB) along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders. The move is aimed at maintaining “zero tolerance” against terrorism and cross border crimes.

Earlier, the BSF was only empowered to take action up to fifteen kilometres in the states of Punjab, West Bengal and Assam but now it has been authorised to spread its jurisdiction up to 50 km without any hurdle or requirement of any permission from central or state governments.

The Congress has termed the new directive as an attack on federalism with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi requesting 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 the 50 km belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately roll back this irrational decision,” tweeted Channi.

Meanwhile, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh welcomed the decision and urged political parties to not drag central armed forces into politics.

“Our soldiers are being killed in Kashmir. We’re seeing more and more weapons and drugs being pushed by Pakistan-backed terrorists into Punjab. BSF’s enhanced presence and powers will only make us stronger. Let’s not drag central armed forces into politics,” Singh tweeted.

Punjab Congress leader Pargat Singh accused the saffron party of trying to take away the rights of the states.

“They should not do this. They should not destroy the federal structure,” he added.

Meanwhile, former union minister Prakash Javadekar said that the decision to give powers to BSF to search, seizure, arrest within 50 km of international borders, is in the national interest and will help in the stoppage of the smuggling of drugs, arms and cows.

Why Congress leaders in Punjab are opposing this, he questioned.