TMC leader hits out at Centre for extending BSF's jurisdiction

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh criticises the decision to extent BSF's power to arrest, search, and seizure to the extent of 50 km inside three states sharing borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh including that of West Bengal.

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress, the ruling party of West Bengal, is furious over the Union Home ministry's decision to extend the power of the Border Security Force (BSF) to arrest, search, and seizure to the extent of 50 km inside three states sharing borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh including that of West Bengal.

The Trinamool Congress state general secretary and the party spokesman, Kunal Ghosh wrote in a Twitter message criticizing the Union home ministry on this count. "The decision to extend BSF's jurisdiction within the borders from 15 kilometres to 50 kilometres is unacceptable. This is the direct interference in the areas that are under the jurisdiction of the state government. Trinamool Congress is taking the matter seriously. We will place our opinion on this issue," Ghosh said.

On Wednesday, the Union home ministry has issued a notification extending the power of BSF inside three states of West Bengal, Punjab and Assam. If necessary the BSF personnel will be able to frisk and conduct search operations within that area. The BSF will also have the power to confiscate properties within that area. They will also share equal power with the state police on this count. This is exactly what Ghosh has objected to.

According to Ghosh, since the law and order of the state lies with the state government, the extended powers to BSF will lead to unnecessary tussle. Also, this will not only create tension between BSF and state police but will lead to chaos. He feels that this will ultimately result in unnecessary tension and deterioration in the law and order situation in the border areas.

However, MHA has clarified that the decision was taken in the interest of national security. According to MHS, of late illegal arms smuggled from across the borders have reached the state to an alarming level. The extension of BSF's power is aimed at arresting this trend. This new system will be applicable in 10 states and two Union territories. However, the opposition parties have described this move as a direct attempt to destabilize the federal and democratic structure of the government.

Already the Punjab Chief Minister, Charanjit Singh Channi has criticized the decision to extend BSF's power. "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 roll back this irrational decision, Channi wrote in a Twitter message.

The leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was also vocal on this issue. "The expansion of #BSF area of jurisdiction up to 50 km from the border of some states amounts to the brazen infringement upon the territory of states.@HMOIndia, you should not indulge any 'Chherkhani' else will face the consequences," his Twitter message has read.