Farmers Movement Archive

BSF jurisdiction: Parties agree on special assembly session to reject Centre’s move

Strongly criticising the Union government’s decision to extend the jurisdiction of BSF from 15km to 50km along the international border in Punjab, political leaders, at an all-party meeting chaired by chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, on Monday agreed for a special assembly session to reject the move, besides challenging it in the Supreme Court.The BJP abstained from the meeting, while representatives of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Lok Insaaf Party and other parties were present.“By calling the Vidhan Sabha session, all (the parties) will jointly reject the notification. All parties are unanimous on it,” Channi said, while asserting that law and order was a state subject. Two resolutions were unanimously passed in the meeting, one against the BSF jurisdiction and another against the three farm laws.Channi assured all political parties that the posts of chief minister and ministers do not matter to them when it came to safeguarding the interests of Punjab. “We are ready to make any sacrifice but will not allow Punjab’s interests to be looted,” he said. The decision about convening the Vidhan Sabha session will be taken in the next Cabinet meeting, he said.The chief minister said the Centre’s three “black” laws on farming will also be rejected in the coming assembly session.When told that the Opposition was blaming him for agreeing to the extension of the BSF jurisdiction during his meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah, Channi rejected the charge and said he had raised several issues, including the curbing of drugs smuggling from across the border, with Shah.Talking to the media, Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu accused the Centre of “weakening the federal structure by creating a state within a state”. He also slammed it for “disregarding the democratic rights of the people of Punjab” by extending the BSF’s jurisdiction and expressed fear of “torture, false cases, arbitrary detention and illegal arrests” against them.He called it a “political move” of the central government for its “vested interests” while questioning the timing of its move just a few months ahead of the assembly polls. “After CBI, ED and various other institution now BJP will use the BSF to interfere in the autonomy of states ruled by opposition parties. As BJP can never win Punjab, it is creating unrest, so that peaceful elections don’t happen in Punjab,” said Sidhu.AAP blames Cong, SAD Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked the chief minister for his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah before the Centre handed over half of Punjab to the BSF.“The NIA Act and Clause 2 of sub-section of the BSF Act 139, was introduced during the then Manmohan Singh government. With what mouth is the Congress opposing it now?” said AAP’s state chief Bhagwant Mann. He said when these Acts were enacted, SAD-BJP coalition government in Punjab did not oppose the move.First set your own house in order: SAD to Channi The SAD delegation asked the Congress government to first set its own house in order as some of the leaders, including former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, have appreciated the Centre’s move.The delegation also asked chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi to clarify on his meeting with home minister Amit Shah as there were apprehensions in the minds of Punjabis that he had agreed to the move.“Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar had also accused the chief minister of handing over half of Punjab to the Centre,” the Akali leaders said.Petty politics, says BJP The Punjab unit of the BJP, on the other hand, accused the Congress government of playing petty politics over the issue of national security. Senior party leader Manoranjan Kalia said the move of extending the BSF’s jurisdiction is meant to protect the national interests.Another Punjab BJP leader Subhash Sharma accused the state government of using the national security issue for petty politics and alleged that it was trying to divert attention from the burning issues of the state.

Hindustan Times

26-10-2021

Chandigarh