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BIG STORY OCTOBER 15, 2021 | The Indian Eye 8

Captain Amarinder Singh minister amidst tensions with-
had resigned as Chief Minister in the Congress has howev-
on September 18 and had told er approved of the Centre’s
the media that the Congress move. “Our soldiers are being
leadership had let him down. killed in Kashmir. We’re see-
He had also taken a dig at Sid- ing more and more weapons
hu over his resignation, saying and drugs being pushed by Pa-
he is not a stable man. kistan-backed terrorists into
Sidhu was made PCC chief Punjab. BSF’s enhanced pres-
by Congress leadership in July ence and powers will only make
to stem infighting in Punjab us stronger. Let’s not drag cen-
Congress ahead of next year’s tral armed forces into politics,”
assembly polls but the party is Singh tweeted.
now grappling with a fresh cri- Former Punjab Congress
sis. President Sunil Jhakkar also
Punjab goes to elections took a dig at the chief minister
early next year and the focus when he put out a tweet stating
of the party is on the polls. But that Channi had unwittingly
a constant bickering between Punjab chief minister charanjit singh channi lays a wreath at the mortal managed to hand over half of
Sidhu and Amarinder Singh is remains of Sepoy Gajjan Singh who was killed fighting terrorists in Jammu Punjab to Central government.
still a cause of concern. Also, and Kashmir's Poonch, in rupnagar on wednesday (aNi) “Be careful what you ask for!
the BJP government at the Has (Punjab CM) Charanjit
Center is adding to its prob- Singh Channi unwittingly man-
lems. aged to hand over half of Pun-
In a move aimed at main- jab to Central govt. 25,000sq
taining “zero tolerance” against km (out of total 50,000sq km)
terrorism and cross border has now been placed under
crimes, the Centre has em- BSF jurisdiction. Punjab Police
powered the BSF to conduct stands castigated. Do we still
searches, arrest suspects and want more autonomy from the
make seizures up to an area of States?”
50 km inside Indian territory But Punjab Congress lead-
from the International Border ers Pargat Singh and Vijay In-
(IB) along the India-Pakistan der Singh on Thursday said the
and India-Bangladesh borders. centre’s decision to extend the
As per the fresh order, the BSF, jurisdiction of the Border Se-
which was only empowered to curity Force (BSF) over a wide
take action up to fifteen kilo- area in three states, including
metres in the states of Punjab, Punjab, is an attack on the fed-
West Bengal and Assam, has eral structure of India. “BJP is
now been authorised to spread trying to take away the rights
its jurisdiction up to 50 km Former Punjab cm captain amarinder singh addresses a press confer- of the states. They should not
without any hurdle or further ence in mohali on thursday (aNi) do this, they should not de-
permission either from central stroy federal structure... Pun-
or state governments. draw this decision, calling it an running along the international jabis have always stood togeth-
As per the fresh order, the attack on the federal structure borders, which is a direct attack er whether it was the freedom
BSF, which was only empow- of the country. on federalism. I urge the Union struggle or farmers’ protest.. we
ered to take action up to fif- Punjab Chief Minister Cha- Home Minister @AmitShah will fight against this too,” said
teen kilometres in the states of ranjit Singh Channi has con- to immediately roll back this Vijay Inder Singh. On the issue
Punjab, West Bengal and As- demned the Centre’s decision irrational decision,” tweeted of drugs being supplied from
sam, has now been authorised to extend the Border Security Channi. across the border as one of the
to spread its jurisdiction up to Force (BSF)’s jurisdiction over Punjab Home Minister reasons for the BSF’s increased
50 km without any hurdle or a wider area along the borders Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa jurisdiction order, Pargat Singh
further permission either from of three states and said that it is has termed the Centre’s recent said, “The Punjab Police, Chief
central or state governments. a “direct attack on federalism”. decision of allowing more juris- Minister and Home Minister
The Congress government in Channi requested the Union diction to the Border Security are competent enough to deal
Punjab has opposed the in- Home Minister Amit Shah to Force (BSF) in border areas as with the problem. I accept there
crease in the jurisdiction of the immediately roll back this irra- an attempt to “weaken the spir- are some black sheep who need
Border Security Force. Shiro- tional decision. “I strongly con- it of federalism”. to be identified.”
mani Akali Dal has also op- demn the GoI’s unilateral deci- Channi’s predecessor Cap- Slamming BJP and former
posed it. Both the parties have sion to give additional powers tain Amarinder Singh who Punjab CM Captain Amarind-
demanded the Centre to with- to BSF within the 50 km belt had to resign as Punjab chief Continued on next page... >>

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