Don't politicise national security issues: Amarinder

Chandigarh, Nov 11 (IANS) Rejecting the Punjab government resolution moved in the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday against the proposed move of the Centre to extend the operational jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked the state government not to politicise the issue of national security for petty partisans ends and motives.

"The operational jurisdiction of the BSF concerns national security and not the law and order in the state, which the current powers that be in Punjab are apparently not able to understand," he remarked in a statement here.

Amarinder Singh said it was sad that the government was trying to politicize an issue, which concerns national security and concerns all border states, including Punjab.

He pointed out that it is not only Punjab, but the states like Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and others where the BSF jurisdiction is 50 kms inside the international border.

Moreover, he added, with Pakistan using sophisticated technology and highly improvised drones with a range of as much as 30 km, it is important that the BSF gets more operational jurisdiction.

"Extending the operational jurisdiction of the BSF neither infringes upon the federal authority of the state, nor questions the competence of the state police in maintaining law and order, as some vested political interests are trying to make out," Amarinder Singh remarked.

The former Chief Minister also made it clear that there is a huge difference between the law and order and national security. "Unfortunately people playing up the issue are unable to make out the difference between the law and order and the national security," he observed, while pointing out "the BSF like Punjab Police is our own force and not any external or foreign force coming to occupy our land".