• Centre’s decision to expand BSF’s jurisdiction has sparked a political storm in Punjab
• Other than the BJP, only former chief minister Amarinder Singh has welcomed the move
• Centre’s move will create more friction between BSF and Punjab Police, say experts

The volatile state of the Punjab, which is currently in election mode, has an abundance of daily surprises, often of its own making. Yet, the notification by the Union Government last Wednesday came as a bolt from the blue. The notification enlarged the scope of the Border Security Force (BSF) to conduct raids and make seizures from 15 kms to 50 kms from the International Border with Pakistan.

Though the notification is not for Punjab alone and includes the states of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, it raised the hackles of political parties in the border state.

Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi called it a “direct attack on federalism”. Leaders of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal marched to the Punjab Raj Bhawan to register protest.

The move was enough to stir even former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is in his 90s, and give a call for a joint fight against Centre’s diktat.

Other than the BJP, only former chief minister Amarinder Singh welcomed the move and said that “BSF’s enhanced powers will only make us stronger”. He urged political parties not to drag the Central Armed Police Forces into politics.

There have been reports over the last few months of arms being dropped by drones from across the border with Pakistan. Narcotic seizures during the past few years, drug menace and spiraling crime have been issues of concern in Punjab. But, how much of all this is directly related to cross border activity is unclear.

However, the notification put the Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who is only a few weeks old in office, in an embarrassing spot. He had only a few days ago met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and demanded the sealing of the 550-kilometre Punjab border with Pakistan.

The Opposition was quick to accuse the chief minister of “having bartered away state’s interests”.

Whatever be the Centre’s compulsions or intentions behind the notification affecting border states, it sure was ill-timed. Not only is Punjab going to polls in three months, the political atmosphere is highly surcharged due to farmers’ year-long agitation against the three farm laws.

The Centre’s notification reduced BSF’s jurisdiction in Gujarat from 80 kms to 50 kms and retained the 50 km limit in Rajasthan. No boundaries have been set for the Northeastern states of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mixoram, Tripura, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.

The anger in Punjab is primarily because the notification is seen as a further infringement of its rights. Besides, unlike Gujarat and Rajasthan, which has vast open spaces with most habitations far away from the border, Punjab has cultivable land right up the border with hundreds of villages dotting the border areas with Pakistan.

Centre’s fresh notification puts six of Punjab’s 23 districts completely under the BSF’s control for raids and seizures. Many in these areas recall their unpleasant experiences in the 1980s and 1990s when Army and para-military forces were deployed there to tackle militancy.

Political parties in Punjab are also up in arms against the notification because the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution lists “law and order” as a state subject. Besides, in Punjab, the SAD has been historically at the forefront in opposing the erosion of states’ powers. Though SAD conveniently overlooked the erosion of states’ powers when it was a part of the NDA, the snapping of the relationship with BJP over the farm laws has put the party back in the combative mode.

Some states, including Punjab had also protested in 2009 when the Centre created the National Investigation Agency (NIA) following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

There is no denying the fact that police functioning in Punjab leaves much to be desired. The day media reports appeared about Centre’s notification enhancing BSF’s powers, some newspapers carried an item, which mentioned how recoveries in Ferozepur Central Jail had gone up since the BSF officers were posted there (in place of police/jail officers) in July last!

Irrespective of whether such a step was necessary, the Centre could have avoided the controversy had it consulted the border states before issuing the notification.

Some BSF officers justify the Centre’s decision as drone technology has enabled droppings of arms and intoxicants in areas far in depth from the border. But, there are those who disagree. Former IG of BSF for Punjab Frontier, MS Malhi, was quoted in media as calling it “an unnecessary decision”.

“I can’t imagine BSF officers going into cities like Amritsar or Gurdaspur making seizures. This is not the mandate of the BSF and it would create friction with the Punjab Police,” he said.

But they all agree that there is need for not just better coordination between the BSF and Punjab Police but also a system of oversight on the two.

It is apparent that unless the Centre takes cognisance of the reaction and holds fresh consultations with the affected states, the decision would add to the litany of grievances and discriminations — real or perceived — from states like Punjab.