Manish Tewari asks Punjab CM to oppose MHA notification enhancing BSF mandate
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Oct, 2021 11:06 AM
New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari on Wednesday asked Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi to oppose the Ministry of Home Affairs notification for enhancement of the Border Security Force operational mandate in Punjab.
Manish Tewari said in a tweet ,"MHA Notification enhancing operational mandate of BSF, 15 to 50 KM's in Punjab, West Bengal & Assam transgresses upon Constitutional Public order & Policing remit of States Half of Punjab will now fall under BSF jurisdiction @CHARANJITCHANNI must oppose it ".
As per reports, the notification issued this week by the MHA extends the operational mandate where the BSF has powers of search, seizure and arrest under the NDPS Act, Customs Act and Passport Act to a 50 km-belt in some states including Punjab.
Tewari added that, "Mischievous part of Section 139 of BSF Act or of any cognizable offence punishable under any other Central Act; ..'It allows GOI to institutionalise an alternative policing paradigm. Was Punjab Govt consulted?"
Section 139 of the Border Security Force Act, 1968, empowers the Centre to notify the area and extent of the border force's operational mandate, from time to time.
The addition of an extra 35-km stretch to the BSF's mandate could lead to a political storm in Punjab and Bengal which are ruled by non-BJP parties. The Congress leaders from Punjab are the first to oppose the move.
The leaders have been demanding the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra's son Ashish Mishra in connection with the death of farmers during the violence. Sidhu threatened to go on hunger strike if action is not taken against the minister's son by Friday.
The ministry said that all due protocols and norms relating to Covid-19, as notified by the Union Health Ministry from time to time, shall be adhered to by the foreign tourists, the carriers bringing them to India and all other stakeholders at the landing stations.
Tamil Nadu farmers association Deputy Secretary, P.S. Masilamani, who had participated in the farmers' agitation in New Delhi, told IANS that the farmers of Cauvery delta are "disturbed and outraged by the mowing down of fellow farmers and we are conducting peaceful protest marches in solidarity with the farmers of Lakhimpur Kheri."
A total of 28 civilians have been killed by terrorists in Kashmir in 2021, IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar said in a statement on Thursday. The statement further said that in all such cases, the terrorists used pistols.
Farmers allege that the minister's son was in one of the cars that mowed the farmers. Ashish has been named in the FIR lodged in connection with the incident under IPC Section 302 (murder).
Fortunately, no one is injured in the incident, which was the fourth such case in Bengaluru in the last 15 days. The families who lived in the apartment managed to escape as soon as they got the first indication.
