Punjab parties oppose more powers to BSF, special Vidhan Sabha session in November

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 25

At an all-party meeting chaired by Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday, all prominent parties, barring the BJP, opposed the Centre’s notification extending the BSF’s jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km along the international border. It was decided to convene a special session of the Vidhan Sabha in mid-November to reject the notification.

Also read: BSF jurisdiction row: Congress trying to politicise security issue, says Manoranjan Kalia

Ruling party puts up united face in all-party meeting

Channi said the government would take legal recourse by filing a petition in the Supreme Court against the unilateral move of the Centre. He said it was also decided to bring another resolution during the session to reject the central farm laws.

PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu was seen sitting next to Channi. He said the move was taken ahead of the state Assembly elections and was politically motivated. “The notification amounted to creating a state within the state. The law and order is a state subject,” he said, citing West Bengal where “the BSF was used to torture people during the elections”. Other leaders who attended the meet were AAP state unit chief Bhagwant Maan, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, senor Akali leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra and Daljeet Singh Cheema, SAD (Sanyukt) chief Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Lok Insaaf Party chief Simarjeet Singh Bains.

Blamed the Congress, Mann alleged, “The BSF Act under which the notification has been issued was brought by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram under the UPA regime. The then SAD-BJP government in Punjab did not oppose it.”

Supporting the special session, Chandumajra and Cheema asked the Congress government “to set its own house in order”. They said former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had supported the extension of the BSF’s jurisdiction. So did Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla and Rana Gurjeet Singh, they claimed.

BJP stays away

• While all major political parties in Punjab attended the meet, the BJP boycotted it
• Party leader Ashwani Sharma said the decision was uniform for all border states
• Sharma tweeted that drugs were making way into the state and the decision was taken on that account

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