BSF’s Punjab Frontier IG Says Increased Jurisdiction Aimed at Strengthening Police

The Union government’s notification has caused a flutter in the state, with the Congress-led government describing it as an attack on the federal structure.

Jalandhar: Two days after the Punjab government passed a resolution against the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification to extend the Border Security Force (BSF)’s jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km from the Pakistan border in Punjab, the organisation’s Punjab Frontier inspector general (IG) Sonali Mishra on Saturday said the move was aimed at strengthening and complementing the Punjab police.

Mishra said that the BSF has been deputed at the 553 km-long Indo-Pak international border to prevent infiltration, narcotics smuggling, arms smuggling and ensure the cross border apprehension of people. “But under the emerging national security threat from the western theatre, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, the challenges have compounded, becoming complex and complicated. In the past couple of years, one of the biggest challenges is coming in the form of drones along the international border,” she said.

Addressing a press conference at BSF Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar, Mishra said, “This year, the BSF has reported 45 incidents of drones sightings so far. Recently, drones were spotted in the Amritsar sector twice. In one of the cases, the BSF troops heard the noise, saw the dropping of drugs and seized six kg of heroin. It is for national security and in the interest of the nation that the BSF’s jurisdiction has been increased in Punjab.”

Notably, former chief minister Amarinder Singh had raised the issue of drone sightings, drugs supply, national security and threats to Punjab from across the border for a long time. After his ouster, he has attacked the Congress for opposing the Narendra Modi government’s decision to increase the BSF’s jurisdiction in Punjab.

The BSF IG said that the organisation has noticed increased drone activity since 2019. “Earlier, as per the Punjab police findings, the drones were coming inside up to 1.5-2 km area and would fly at lesser height. But now, they are coming inside up to six km. Earlier, we could hear the noise of the drones and see them too. They would use blinking lights for the purpose of smuggling and we were able to carry our drills.”

She said now, the drones coming from across the border are equipped with better software and GPS, are flying at greater heights and can deliver a payload of up to 10 kg. “They have covered up the blinking lights and at times even the humming noise of the drone is not audible because of their capacity to fly at high altitudes,” IG Mishra said.

However, when asked about the growing apprehension among the people of Punjab that the increased jurisdiction would mean trouble for them, IG Mishra said, “Even with the 15 km provision, we had a lot of area under our control, did you ever hear about any such apprehensions then?”

When asked about the Punjab government’s resolution against the MHA notification, she said, “I cannot comment on that”.

According to information provided by the BSF, the agency has so far this year seized 387 kg of drugs, recovered 55 weapons, apprehended 77 persons and killed six persons who were trying to infiltrate from across the border. Additionally, 15 persons were handed over to Pakistan.

What are the BSF’s powers?

Since 1969, the BSF has the power to arrest, search and seize under certain Acts and laws. These powers extended until 15 km in Punjab (before the recent expansion), 50 km in Rajasthan and 80 km in Gujarat.

The Union government issued three notifications on October 11 under provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Passport (Entry Into India) Act, 1920 and Passport Act, 1967, uniformly extending the jurisdiction of the BSF within a belt of 50 km along the border in Punjab. The territorial jurisdiction of the BSF under the NDPS Act 1985, Arms Act 1959 and Customs Act 1962 remains the same, i.e. 15 km, as notified earlier in Punjab along the border.

IG Mishra said that the BSF has no policing powers, as it does not have the power to register an FIR nor to carry out investigations. “Whenever any seizure is made, we hand it over to the police or to other law enforcement agencies, which in case of drugs is the NCB. The law enforcing agencies register an FIR, book the culprits and investigate the case. Hence, the power of the police remains. Rather, the BSF works in tandem with security agencies like the Department of Revenue Intelligence and Customs and others to protect the border,” she said.

BSF punjab frontier IG Sonali Mishra and other officials addressing a press conference in Jalandhar on Saturday. Photo: By arrangement

What political leaders are saying

Two-time Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha said, “We have nothing against the BSF. They are a highly professional para-military force. But we doubt the moves of the Union government. If the Modi government will try to bring the BSF into state law and order, it will definitely create a problem.”

Valtoha, who is the party’s candidate for the Khemkaran assembly seat in the upcoming elections, added that while it is important fo people involved in drugs and cross-border crime should be arrested, “the need of the hour was better technology boost in terms of jammers, night vision devices for the troops”.

“Instead of focussing on strengthening the BSF, the government has only increased its jurisdiction, which is unjust,” he said.

The Khemkaran constituency has over a dozen villages that are situated along the border. Valtoha claimed that when the BSF’s jurisdiction was 15 km, the organisation did not have enough troops to depute a jawan with people who farm along the international border. “Now, the BSF’s jurisdiction has been increased to 50 km. Will they be able to provide jawans for every farmer? It is an attack on the federal structure of the country,” he added.

Congress MP from the Khadoor Sahib seat Jasbir Singh Dimpa also said while the party holds the BSF in high esteem, it is protesting the BJP-led government’s move, which is “encroaching” the rights of the states. “Whether it is the farm laws or the BSF’s enhanced jurisdiction, we strongly condemn the government’s decisions. The BSF jawans are Union government employees but the way they have been used by the BJP to further its agenda is a new low,” he said.

Also Read: High Drama as Punjab Assembly Passes Resolutions Against Centre’s BSF Move, Farm Laws

Issues of border area farmers

The Border Area Sangharsh Committee is an organisation of farmers who have agricultural land between the border fence and the International Boundary (IB) in six border districts – Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Pathankot districts of Punjab. The organisation on November 11 held a protest against the Union government’s move to increase the BSF’s jurisdiction.

Rattan Singh Randhawa, who led the protest, said in a press statement that the BJP was using the BSF to harass the farmers. He claimed that the move was meant to put pressure on farmers from Punjab who have been protesting against the three farm laws for almost a year.

The farmers also claimed that the Modi government was yet to release monetary compensation for farmers who owned land between the barbed wire fence and the zero line at the India-Pakistan border. However, IG Mishra said that the BSF has released Rs 24.03 crore out of Rs 35.36 crore released by the government for the 2015-2017 period. “Another amount of Rs 35.36 crore for 2018-2021 was already sanctioned by the government,” she added.