NCP chief Sharad Pawar to meet Amit Shah to discuss extension of BSF`s jurisdiction

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party chief, Sharad Pawar on Saturday (October 16, 2021) said that he will be meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the extension of BSF`s (Border Security Force) operational jurisdiction.

“I will be meeting Home Minister Amit Shah to know his thoughts about it,” said Pawar.

Pune, Maharashtra | I will be meeting Home Minister Amit Shah to know his thoughts about it: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar on extension of BSF’s operational jurisdiction pic.twitter.com/IikKlJPgSI

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2021

The statement comes after the Union Home Ministry’s order of extending the operational area under the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) in border states including West Bengal, Punjab and Assam, giving the paramilitary personnel powers of arrest, search and seizure, on par with state police.

Additionally, the NCP chief also said that the Union government should handle the ongoing agitation against new farm laws with sensitivity, keeping in mind that majority of protesters are from Punjab, a border state.

“My advise to the Union government is, do not let farmers of Punjab get upset, it is a border state. If we upset the farmers and people from border regions, then there will be other ramifications,” he said.

“Our country has paid the price of upsetting Punjab, even (then prime minister) Indira Gandhi lost her life. On the other hand, farmers of Punjab, irrespective of whether they are Sikh or Hindu, have contributed to food supply,” the NCP chief said.

On the other hand, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi also spoke about the BSF order and tweeted, “I strongly condemn the GoI’s unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within the 50 km belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately roll back this irrational decision.”

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