Rejecting the Punjab government resolution moved in the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday against the proposed move of the Centre to extend the operational jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked the state government not to politicise the issue of national security for petty partisan 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 remarked in a statement.
Amarinder Singh said that it was sad that the government was trying to politicize an issue, which concerns national security and concerns all border states, including Punjab. He pointed out that it was not only Punjab, but the states like Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and others where the BSF’s new jurisdiction is 50 kms inside the international border.
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Moreover, he added, with Pakistan using sophisticated technology and highly improvised drones with a range of as much as 30 km, it was important that the BSF get 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," Amarinder Singh remarked.
