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.
After a pre-recorded audio and video message circulated on social media by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, chief of the pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), went viral, the Gurugram police on Thursday registered an FIR against Pannu and unknown others at the Cyber Crime police station here.
The final decision on withdrawal of troops from Patrolling Point (PP) 17A in Gogra would be taken up by the top brass of the military and diplomatic hierarchy.
The statement reads: "The opposition parties stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has national security dimensions."
Patra condemned the recent incident in which a nine-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped, murdered and then cremated by her attackers in South West Delhi on Sunday evening.
Despite mobile phones are prohibited inside a meeting room where prisoners meet with the visitors, this incident has brought forth the lapses on the part of the jail administration.
In a bid to highlight the rising air pollution as well as the serious health hazards faced by the people, a group of organisations, think tanks and civil society groups have joined hands to form 'Clean Air Punjab'.
