BSF Jurisdiction Row | Punjab To Approach Supreme Court Seeking 'Justice': CM Channi After All-Party Meet

BSF Jurisdiction Row: Both the Congress-led Punjab government and the Trinamool-led West Bengal government have strongly opposed the decision.

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New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday convened an all-party meet over the Border Security Force (BSF) jurisdiction issue in the state.

“All parties unanimously passed a resolution that this notification be rolled back. If the government does not do it, parties decided that a session of Vidhan Sabha be called over this,” he informed, as quoted by news agency ANI.

The opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) attended the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to deliberate on the issue of BSF jurisdiction in Punjab.

Talking to the media, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi said that all political parties in the state will come together to make the Centre withdraw the notification.

“As this is a matter related to Punjab and Punjabis, law and order is a state subject and it is 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,” the Punjab Chief Minister stated after the all-party meeting in Chandigarh, as quoted by ANI.

He further informed that a session of the Punjab Assembly will be convened in the next 10-15 days to pass resolutions against the Union government's notification extending BSF jurisdiction and also against the three farm laws.

“Political parties will hold agitations against the extension of BSF jurisdiction in Punjab. We will also approach the Supreme Court seeking justice in this matter,” he added.

The BJP-led Union government had amended the BSF Act to authorise the force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50 km stretch, instead of 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

Both the Congress-led Punjab government and the Trinamool-led West Bengal government have strongly opposed the decision.

Earlier today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the Centre's move to extend the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force.

She also termed it as an attempt to interfere into the federal structure of the country, saying that the state has no problems in the border areas.

“About the BSF matter, we have sent a letter protesting the move. Earlier, they had jurisdiction of 15 km, there were incidents of firing in Balurghat or Cooch Behar. Now, they have extended it to 50 km. This is an attempt to interfere into the federal structure of the country,” Mamata Banerjee said at an administrative review meeting, as quoted by news agency PTI.

“We do not have problems in the border areas and share very cordial relations (with neighbouring countries). There is no need to create this confusion. Law and order is a state subject. BSF must look after what they are responsible for and we will have total support for that,” she added.

The West Bengal Chief Minister had on Sunday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately withdraw the Union Home Ministry's notification that extended the jurisdiction of BSF.

West Bengal shares an international border with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, while Punjab borders Pakistan.

(With Inputs From Agencies)