After the Narendra Modi government increased the power of the force to allow officers to search, seize and arrest 50 kilometers in Punjab as their police counterparts, the Border Security Force (BSF) is the latest center-state battle The core of the country, Bangladesh and Assam. Earlier, BSF’s jurisdiction in these states was 15 kilometers. The Ministry of the Interior stated that the decision was aimed at “improving operational efficiency” and “combating smuggling,” but the move angered the states, and Punjab called it a “direct attack on federalism.” It outlines the new jurisdiction as “the entire state of Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, as well as the combined territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Area, and most of the area within 50 kilometers of the state. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal and Assam, extending along the border of India”. The earlier notice on July 3, 2014 outlined the BSF’s jurisdiction as “the entire region consisting of Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, and Most of the area within 80 kilometers of Manipur. Gujarat, 50 kilometers of Rajasthan, 15 kilometers of Punjab, West Bengal and Assam, extending along the border of India.” An official of the Federal Ministry of the Interior stated that, in accordance with the BSF’s recommendation, changes were made in accordance with the 1968 Border Security Forces Act, and the purpose is also to maintain the unity of the military’s operational jurisdiction in these states. The actions of Punjab and Bengal were not smooth, and both sides called it an attack on federalism. The Chief Minister of Punjab Province Charanjit Singh Channi condemned the increase of the border defense state Punjab Province by 35 kilometers, calling the decision of the Ministry of Interior (MHA) “unreasonable”.
News Source: News18