CENTRE CAN’T JUST EXTEND JURISDICTION FOR BSF WITHOUT CONSULTING STATES HOME MINISTRY IS ACTING MOSTLY UNILATERALLY AT THE COST OF FEDERALISM

The Border Security Force told to patrol away from the international border is of no use. Its jurisdiction limits should be insight of the border. The Centre’s order to extend the BSF’s jurisdiction is, therefore, even if not out of New Delhi’s jurisdiction, not going to achieve anything substantive. Like one analyst said, “It’s unclear how the BSF’sextended
jurisdiction will help counter border threats.” The BSF is tasked to render service at the border, even with their lives, and would be a total misfit in “civilian” areas.

The decision was taken without taking the states into confidence, of course. Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh is
applauding the BSF takeover. The Captainis like he is perched ona BSF camel, able to see far beyond what Punjabis like ChiefMinister Charanjit Singh Channi and chief betenoire Navjot Singh Sidhu can or would want to. It’s made cosying up to the Modi Government easier for the long retired Captain of the Indian Army.

The police forces of the states affected by the partial takeover of their jurisdictions aren’t happy. India’s federal structure has been undermined. Weakening the states seems to be a Covid-19 pastime for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Both of them seemto think they are like the Mughal emperors of the old
– ifnot drunk with power, at least not chary with throwing their weight around. The brute majorityinthe Lok Sabha has gone to their heads!

And rule by proxy seems to be the aphrodisiac driving them crazy. The central enforcement agencies are in their direct control. In the hands of a dictator that is dangerous. The checks and balances areallgone. Theexcuse is that increasing the BSF’s jurisdiction wil help beef up security and thwart threats from the other side of the border. But, like somebody asked, is the BSF better qualified to “search, seize and arrest”vis a vis the state police forces?

Maybe, maybe not. The point is it’s not goingto lift the state police forces’ morale. Elated civilians will jump through hoops, that’s all. The apologists for Modi and Shah (also for Capt. Amarinder Singh) speak of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan to justify the BSF’s jurisdictional
jump. The argument is that this left India far more exposed to Pakistani and Chinese threats and blackmail. Also, it is trotted out that going from 15 to 50 is not a quantum jump to raise Cain about – hold your horses, it’s just one butterfly flitting from one flower to the next!

Is that so? Modiand Shah should go back to school. Threats and blackmail from Pakistan and China willnot go awayjust becausethe BSF cannow runaround 50 kminside the borders of India instead ofthe 15 km before. Who are you fooling? Looks like the Pakistani drones got to the wrong ears in the Union Home Ministry. It isn’t the BSF’s fault that there are targeted kilings ofKashmiri Pandits and “outsiders” in the Kashmir Valley, whichhas its roots in the events of August 5, 2019.

The BSF cannot be expected to notch up successes 50 km “inside” the border when it could not 15 km inside. The BSF should be bothered about its failure to stop cross-border smuggling into Assamand elsewhere. Oneway of looking at it is that Modi and Shah have successfully shrunk India’s borders by 50 km! Incredible India and her incredible rulers!

The Centre probablybelieves that with the BSF 50 km inside, it will be able
to catchPakistani drones evenasthey land – able to enhance BSF’s “intercept and destroy capabilities.” The question is, what’s NSA Ajit Doval doing? The IB, and the RAW, too. Where are these felows? They cannot have all joined the BSF on deputation?

Let’s admit it, intelligence is India’s Achilesheel. Maybe, we need a fresh newguyin a freshpair of shoes doing the NSA job. Ajit Doval is another Capt. Amarinder Singh, fit to be retired, and ready to be told to enjoy the autumn. True, India faces a bucketfulof threats, both internaland external, but that doesn’t mean you callin the onlyborder force available and hold it to patrol civilianareas. The BSF camel will revolt.

The big worry in high circles is the increasing intrusions of central agencies into state jurisdictions. The plight of Shahrukh Khan’s 23-year- old son Aryan Khan is cited as an example. The Narcotics Control Bureau should have been at port, instead of sailing the high seas. And the BSF should be harassing the international border, not duckinginto alleys and coming up against dead- ends. Amit Shah has a huge big jurisdiction at ‘Home’, what’s he doing at the international border?

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