Pargat Singh who happens to be a politician fron Indian National Congress took on former chief minister of Punjab, Captain Amrinder Singh. He said “I’ve always said Captain is with BJP only. Earlier he went to Delhi to make delay in paddy procurement & now this… If you’re deploying BSF in Punjab it shows your motive to impose governor rule”. It should be noted that the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amrinder Singh supported the decision of the central government of extending the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 Km to 50 Km.

On Wednesday it was announced that the Central Government has decided to extend the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 KM to 50 KM stretch of India’s border in Bengal, Punjab and Assam. Now BSF can arrest, search and seize deep inside Bengal, Punjab and Assam.Needless brouhaha over BSF being allowed to search and seize 50 kms inside West Bengal, Punjab and Assam, a BJP ruled state. Section 139 of the BSF Act, 1968, empowers the Centre to notify operational area. Gujarat (now 50km from 80 earlier) and Rajasthan too have similar limits. It should be noted that Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Amrinder Singh appreciated the decision of extending the jurisdiction of BSF.

Many Congress leaders came forward to speak against the decision of the Central Government. They were seen giving the excuses of Federalism being harmed by this decision because it will result in giving more powers to Central Government. The Present Chief Minister of Punjab wrote on twitter “I strongly condemn the GoI’s unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 KM belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately rollback this irrational decision”. The General Secretary of Indian National Congress, Randeep Singh Surjewala also spoke against the decision and wrote “Federalism dead, conspiracy clear”. Punjab Deputy CM also went on to enter into the same bracket of standing against the government’s decision. He wrote “There are no justifiable reasons for unilaterally changing the existing arrangements by the Government of India, except to weaken the State Government and the spirit of federalism”. He went on to further add “By conferring powers of police officers upon BSF (Border Security Force) officers without consulting State Govts or obtaining their concurrence, the Centre is attempting to distort the federal structure of the Constitution”.

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