The City Headlines
Ludhiana, November 11
Former Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh has backed the Centre’s decision of increasing BSF’s jurisdiction. Rejecting the Punjab government resolution moved in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday against the centre’s move, Captain asked the state government not to politicize the issue of national security for petty partisans ends and motives.
“The operational jurisdiction of the BSF concerns national security and not the law and order in the state, which the current powers that be in Punjab are apparently not able to understand”, he said in a statement.
Capt Amarinder said, it was sad that the government was trying to politicize an issue, which concerns national security and concerns all border states including Punjab.
Captain Amarinder Singh also said that it is not only Punjab but the states like Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and others where the BSF jurisdiction is 50 kms inside the international border.
Further, he said, with Pakistan using sophisticated technology and highly improvised drones with a range of as much as 30 kms, it is important that the BSF gets more operational jurisdiction.
“Extending the operational jurisdiction of the BSF neither infringes upon the federal authority of the state, nor questions the competence of the state police in maintaining law and order, as some vested political interests are trying to make out”, Capt Amarinder remarked.
The former Chief Minister also said that it clear that there is a huge difference between the law and order and national security.
“Unfortunately people playing up the issue are unable to make out the difference between the law and order and the national security”, he observed, while pointing out, “BSF like Punjab Police is our own force and not any external or foreign force coming to occupy our land”.
Also read: State Assembly passes resolution against Centre’s decision of increasing BSF’s jurisdiction
