Kolkata: Leaving no room for the Centre to execute its allegedly attempt of "jeopardising" the country's federal structure by negating the state's control over its own area of jurisdiction, Trinamool Congress (TMC) is all set to build up a massive protest against the decision of extending the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km along the international
border.
While TMC will protest against the Modi government's decision in the upcoming winter session of the Parliament, the state government—after Punjab—is going to bring a resolution at the state Assembly on Tuesday demanding revoking the same specially when three persons, including an Indian National, were killed in BSF firing at West Champta of Sitai in Cooch Behar.
The killing of three persons, on the day Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla's meeting with the top brass of the state government over border security and infrastructure issues, has led to many questions. The area is also very tensed with the local people demanding that the "true facts" behind the incident be revealed.
Though BSF claimed that they opened fire when "the miscreants" did not pay heed to their warning while attempting to smuggle cattle at around 2.30 am on Friday, TMC MLA from Dinhata Udayan Guha questioned how can one cross the fenced border. "We cannot rule out the possibility of BSF extending them help to cross the border," Guha alleged.
He further asked: "Even if we consider that the BSF jawans had no other choice apart from firing, then why rubber bullets were not used first? Why they did not fire below the waist? The dispute among BSF jawans itself led to the incident. Incident of firing takes places whenever such dispute arises".
Investigation revealed that slain Barman used to reside about one kilometre away from the spot of the incident. The question has also been raised that how the attempt cattle smuggling can take place when there was "no porous area" in the fencing along the international border in the area.
The meeting of Bhalla amidst the "dual controversy" —killing at Sitai and Centre's decision to extend BSF's jurisdiction —too didn't go smooth with the reports of "errors" in the Centre's power point presentation containing details on border security related issues. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi, Home Secretary BP Gopalika, Director General of Police Manoj Malaviya and Secretary of the Land and Land Reforms department Smaraki Mahapatra attended the meeting on behalf of the state government at New Town's Hidco Bhavan.
The state government has highlighted the mistakes and put up the correct information.
It was leading to a disorder in the meeting when Bhalla intervened and assured of correcting the facts, sources said. It is learnt that even BSF outposts were shown in the areas where there is thick settlement of people in villages.
Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said: "We will not let BSF enter 50 km into the state along the international border. This is our party's decision. The fight is all about fundamental rights in a country with a federal structure. This is nothing but Centre's infiltration into the state's matter. We would be raising the issue very strongly from the first day of the session".
The ministry of Home Affairs decision was to extend the BSF's jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km inside the international border along Punjab, West Bengal and Assam was meant to "improve operational efficiency" and "crack down on smuggling rackets". Opposing strongly, both Bengal and Punjab – ruled by Opposition political parties –stated it as an "irrational decision" and a "direct attack on federalism" by the Centre to "interfere through Central agencies".
Punjab also passed a resolution demanding revoking of the
decision.