Cong MP from Punjab alleges Centre wants to 'control' state through BSF

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Tuesday alleged that the Centre's decision to extend the BSF's jurisdiction inside the International Border was a bid to "control" Punjab as the assembly election was approaching.

The Centre had in October amended the BSF Act to authorise the border guarding force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a 50 km stretch, up from the existing 15 km, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and the TMC, have flayed the move alleging it was a design to "dilute federalism" and an "infringement" on the rights of states.

Addressing the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Bittu, the MP from Punjab, alleged that his state has not got its own capital even after 55 years.

Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana and the city is a Union territory.

Raising the issue of the Union government amending the BSF Act, Bittu said, "Since election is coming (this has been done) so that Punjab can be controlled from the Centre through the BSF." "There will be clashes between the BSF and local police. The Golden Temple, Durgiana temple, Amritsar... half (of the) districts will be under their control. This should be taken back," the MP from Ludhiana said.

The BSF should remain at the border but it should be prevented from coming into cities, he said, adding it was a sensitive issue for Punjab.

Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay also raised the issue during the Zero Hour.

"Last time our chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) met the prime minister. It is a very crucial issue that BSF are penetrating 50 kilometres inside the border area, which is not supported by the government of West Bengal," he said.

Bandyopadhyay said the Centre's decision on the BSF's jurisdiction will lead to law-and-order. "You are aware of what happened in Nagaland. This deployment of central forces in different places will never be good for the government," he said.

"So, our humble submission to the government is that immediately let them go back to the border areas according to the system, according to their jurisdiction, and cancel the order that BSF can take entry up to 50 kilometres of states' jurisdiction," the TMC MP said.  Bandyopadhyay alleged that the Centre's decision was "totally opposed to the federal structure" of the government's functioning hoped the decision would be reversed immediately.

Also during the Zero Hour, BJP MP Hema Malini demanded strict legal provisions to prevent cruelty against animals. She said necessary amendments should be made in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Malini also demanded that strict penal provisions be added to the Act.

During the Question Hour in the House, BJP MP Sanjay Seth demanded that the name of the country should be just 'Bharat' and the practice of writing and saying 'India that is Bharat' must be stopped. PTI ASK PK NSD NSD