I.S. Saluja

CHANDIGARH (TIP):The PunjabAssembly,on November11, unanimously passed a resolution rejecting Centre’s order on BSF jurisdiction. The official resolution to reject the Central notification extending the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 km to 50 km.was moved by Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa. Just before the resolution was brought in, two BJP MLAs Arun Narang and Dinesh Babbu left the House. The House urged the state government to take up the matter with the Centre and get the notification withdrawn. Randhawa said they would move the High Court and the Supreme Court over the notification.

SAD leader Bikram Majithia hit out at the treasury benches over “double standards” of the Congress government on deployment of the BSF. He said that on the one hand, the Home Minister is deploying BSF in jails whereas on the other he is opposing the BSF’s increase in jurisdiction along the border. On the contention raised by Majthia, Channi said the draft of the resolution was passed at an all-party meeting. Navjot Sidhu hit out at Sukhbir Badal and Majithia for being absent at the party meeting where the resolution on BSF was passed.

In the debate over the BSF versus Punjab Police, Raja Warring said Sukhbir Badal and Harsimrat Badal themselves did not trust Punjab Police as they had central security forces to guard them. Randhawa also joined Warring in targeting the Badals. MLA Parminder Dhindsa sought clarification from Channi about his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The notification on the BSF had been issued after Channi met Shah. AAP MLA Aman Arora questioned the timing of the October 11 orders issued by the Centre on BSF, after Channi met Shah. He questioned the state government over not moving the Supreme Court on the BSF notification. Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema pointed out that former CM Capt Amarinder Singh misguided the state on the matter of security.