112 Trinamool MLAs voted for it and 63 BJP MLAs voted against it
The West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking withdrawal of a notification by the Home Ministry increasing the territorial jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km along the international border.
112 MLAs of Trinamool Congress voted for it and 63 MLAs of BJP voted against it and passed the resolution. It was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee under Rule 169 of the Conduct of Business in the House.
The resolution said that the House is of the view that increasing the jurisdiction of the BSF is against the federal structure of the country, as law and order is a state subject. It said the notification exceeds the provision of the BSF Act and would create issues of coordination between the state police and the BSF.
noisy scene in the house
The assembly was a scene of noisy as BJP members objected to TMC’s Udayan Guha’s remarks. Mr Guha, representing Dinhata in Cooch Behar district, alleged that Border Security Force personnel were committing atrocities on the border population, especially women.
Opposing the proposal, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wanted the BSF’s jurisdiction to be increased to 80 km. He alleged that Rohingyas have entered the state and terrorists are flourishing. He sought to know what happened between the outcome of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s letter to the Prime Minister on the issue and a meeting of Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and state officials last week.
Minister Partha Chatterjee observed that the territorial jurisdiction of the BSF was extended without any consultation with the state and it would curtail the powers of the police. “If the notification is implemented, 11 districts and 37% of the area in the state will come under the Centre,” the minister later told reporters.
Protest by all non-BJP parties
Not only Trinamool Congress but all non-BJP parties have opposed the move to increase the jurisdiction of BSF. Left Front president Viman Bose, in a letter to the chief minister on Monday, termed the notification as something against the federal structure and urged him to oppose it. State Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also opposed the notification.
Last week, the Punjab Assembly also passed a similar resolution on the issue.
BJP seeks CM’s answer
Earlier in the day, Mr Adhikari sought the Chief Minister’s response on the law and order situation. He alleged that two BJP supporters were murdered in the last few days.
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