By PTI
CHANDIGARH: All political parties except the BJP have decided to reject the Centre’s notification of extending the jurisdiction of the BSF by calling a special session of the Punjab Assembly.
The move came following an all-party meeting convened by Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi here on Monday to deliberate on the issue of jurisdiction of the Border Security Force.
The meeting also resolved to strongly oppose the Centre’s decision “constitutionally, legally and politically” in order to restore the status quo that existed before the notification of October 11, 2021.
The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boycotted the meeting.
Representatives of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Lok Insaaf Party, SAD (Sanyukt) and other parties attended the meeting.
The Union government had recently amended the BSF Act to authorise the border guarding force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a 50 km stretch, up from the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.
Addressing reporters, Channi said the meeting was held in a conducive atmosphere and representatives of the political parties passed a resolution that the notification which extended the BSF’s area of operation should be rejected.
“By calling the Vidhan Sabha session, all (the parties) will jointly reject the notification. All parties are unanimous on it,” Channi said while thanking representatives of all the parties for their complete support in the ‘yagya’.
Channi further said the government will also approach the Supreme Court over this matter.
Channi told the central government that the Punjab government was capable of securing the state while asserting that law and order was a state subject.
He assured all political parties that the posts of chief minister and ministers do not matter to them before the interests of Punjab.
“We are ready to make any sacrifice but will not allow Punjab’s interests to be looted,” he said.
According to a resolution adopted at the meeting, “to maintain the law and order is the responsibility of the state government according to the Constitution and the Punjab government is fully competent for the same.”
“The central government’s decision to enhance the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 to 50 kms speaks of distrust and humiliation of Punjab police and its people,” it said.
The state government would soon convene the special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha on this sensitive issue and recommend to the Governor to hold the session at the earliest, Channi said.
Channi also asked political parties to make use of their good offices to prevail upon the non-BJP governments and other regional parties especially in the states of West Bengal and Rajasthan.
He said he would also take up this issue with his counterparts to mount pressure on Centre to roll back its decision which is a “direct onslaught” on the Centre-state relations.
Meanwhile, the chief minister said the Centre’s three “black” farm laws will also be rejected in the coming assembly session.
When told that the Opposition was accusing him of 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.
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 called it a “political move” of the central government for its “vested interests” while questioning its timing as it comes just a few months ahead of the assembly polls.
The Punjab BJP, on the other hand, accused the Congress government of playing petty politics over the issue of national security.
Punjab BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia said the move of extending the BSF’s jurisdiction is meant to protect the national interests and stated that they had decided to boycott the all-party meeting.
He further said the powers of the BSF had been extended to stop activities harming the country.
In the meeting, SAD representatives called for a special assembly session to reject the centre’s decision and demanded that the Vidhan Sabha also set aside the three farm laws.
AAP Punjab president and MP Bhagwant Mann blamed the Channi-led government for the Centre’s move.
