Protest bigger BSF jurisdiction, Left Front urges Mamata

The letter, signed by Biman Bose, said that the party would take up protest programmes against the Centre’s decision

Representational image.

Arkamoy Datta Majumdar   |   TT  |   Calcutta   |  16.11.21 :  The Left Front on Monday wrote to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, urging the Bengal government to protest against the Union home ministry’s decision to increase the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force along the state’s international borders.

The letter, signed by Left Front chairman Biman Bose, said that the Left would take up protest programmes against the Centre’s decision to extend the BSF’s ambit from 15km to 50km inside Indian territory from the borders.

 “...The Union government cannot take such a step by neglecting the federal structure of the Constitution. If 50km of the bordering areas go under the jurisdiction of the BSF it will create a dangerous impediment in the daily lives of the lakhs of people of those areas,” the letter read, adding that the Centre should have discussed with the states concerned before taking the decision to extend the BSF’s jurisdiction.

“…We request you to immediately register the state government’s protest against this decision that violates the federal structure of the Constitution. We hope that the state government will take the necessary action for the sake of the people of the state and for the federal structure of the Constitution,” Bose wrote.

Last Thursday — after three persons were allegedly gunned down by the BSF in Cooch Behar — the state government has decided to bring a resolution in the Assembly against the extension of the BSF’s jurisdiction.