Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Meets PM Modi In Delhi, Demands Withdrawal Of BSF Jurisdiction Extension

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed a number of issues related to West Bengal including the jurisdiction of Border Security Force (BSF) in the state.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee met Narendra Modi in New Delhi. (Image: Twitter/@PMO)

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence in the national capital.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed a number of issues related to West Bengal including the jurisdiction of Border Security Force (BSF) in the state.

West Bengal CM @MamataOfficial called on PM @narendramodi. pic.twitter.com/5MpSVs9T7g

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 24, 2021

"I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi today over a number of state-related issues. We also spoke on the BSF's jurisdiction extension issue and demanded that this decision be withdrawn," Banerjee told reporters after the meeting. 

The Centre had issued a notification on October 11, extending the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 km from the international border to 50 km in Assam, West Bengal and Punjab.

However, the West Bengal legislative assembly on November 16 passed a resolution against the Centre's decision to extend the BSF jurisdiction on international border of the state. With this, it became the second state after Punjab to pass such a resolution.

Speaking to the media before going to Delhi on Monday evening, the Chief Minister had said: "I shall speak to him (PM Modi) on the extension of jurisdiction by the BSF. They are bulldozing the states in the name of cooperative federalism. This cannot continue. I shall speak to the Prime Minister about it," she had said.

Before meeting PM Modi, the TMC supremo also met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy. During her visit to the national capital, a string of political leaders from several political parties, including Congress and BJP, have joined the TMC. 

Chief Minister's Delhi visit is also touted to be her continued efforts to bring together a strong Opposition to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.