'Attack on federalism', says Pb govt on Centre extending BSF's jurisdiction; Amarinder supports move
Chandigarh, Oct 14: The Punjab government took strong exception on Wednesday to the Centre's reported move of empowering the BSF to carry out searches and make arrests up to an area of 50 km from the international border, dubbing it as an "attack on federalism".
Some reports suggest that the Centre has empowered the Border Security Force (BSF) to conduct searches, arrest suspects and make seizures up to an area of 50 km inside the Indian territory from the international border.
Earlier, the BSF was only empowered to take action up to 15 km inside Punjab.
Several political party leaders have questioned the intent of the BJP-led Centre behind the move.
"I strongly condemn the GoI's unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 KM belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately rollback this irrational decision," Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi tweeted.
However, former chief minister Amarinder Singh came out in support of the move, saying, "BSF's enhanced presence & powers will only make us stronger. Let's not drag central armed forces into politics."
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa condemned the decision and urged the Centre to withdraw it.
"I urge the prime minister and the home minister to withdraw the move. I do not understand what is in the mind of the government. It is an interference and an attack on our rights," he told reporters.
Rather than addressing the issue of drones coming from across the border, the Centre has decided to allow the BSF to take action 50 km inside the border, Randhawa said.
"I feel the Centre has doubts on our nationality. I want to say that Punjabis are patriots and love the country," he added.
Later, in a statement, Randhawa slammed the Centre for a recent amendment in Section 139 of the BSF Act, saying it is tantamount to an "attack on federalism".
"This illogical decision was absolutely against the spirit of the raising of border-guarding forces, which are required to focus on the international border and act as the first line of defence," he said.
The Congress leader said policing is not the role of a border-guarding force, rather it will weaken the capacity of the BSF in discharging its primary duty of guarding the international border.
Highlighting the need for excellent cooperation between central and state agencies, he said such coordination must be enhanced with information sharing for taking prompt action to resist illegal activities.
He further said joint operations against drugs and terrorist modules were successfully conducted by the BSF and the Punjab Police in the past, besides mechanisms for information sharing and coordination are already in place.
There are no justifiable reasons for unilaterally changing the existing arrangements by the Centre, except to weaken the state government and the spirit of federalism, Randhawa said.
The notification issued by the Centre, without obtaining the concurrence of the state government, amounts to an "encroachment" on the powers of the states, he said.
By conferring powers of police officers on BSF officers without consulting the states or obtaining their concurrence, the Centre is "attempting to distort" the federal structure of the Constitution, he added.
Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh said the issue of central armed forces should not be dragged into politics.
"Our soldiers are being killed in Kashmir. We're seeing more & more weapons & drugs being pushed by Pak-backed terrorists into Punjab. BSF's enhanced presence & powers will only make us stronger. Let's not drag central armed forces into politics: capt_amarinder," read a tweet by his media advisor.
"Partisan considerations can't & shouldn't dictate our stand on issues of national security. I'd said that at the time of the 2016 surgical strikes & am saying it again. We've to rise above politics when India's security is at stake, as it is now': @capt_amarinder," read another tweet.
Earlier, former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar appeared to attack his own party's government over the issue.
"Be careful what you ask for! Has @CHARANJITCHANNI unwittingly managed to handover half of Punjab to Central govt. 25000sq km (out of total 50,000sq km) has now been placed under BSF jurisdiction. Punjab Police stands castigated. Do we still want more autonomy to states," he tweeted.
However, Randhawa said Channi has neither raised the issue with the Centre nor asked for enhancing the jurisdiction of the BSF along the international border.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Manish Tewari asked Channi to oppose the move.
"MHA Notification enhancing operational mandate of BSF, 15 to 50 KMs in Punjab, West Bengal & Assam transgresses upon Constitutional Public order & Policing remit of States. Half of Punjab will now fall under BSF jurisdiction @CHARANJITCHANNI must oppose it," he wrote on Twitter.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal came down heavily against the Centre as well as the Punjab government for what he described as "central rule by proxy".
Channi's "sudden and unscheduled" meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah last week had apparently cleared the decks for this "highly provocative and dangerous move", he alleged.
"It is most unlikely that the Centre would have taken such a drastic decision without the knowledge and prior consent of the state government and all the noises which Channi and his colleagues are now making are a mere attempt to hide their complicity in this decision," Badal said in a statement.
I strongly condemn the GoI's unilateral decision to give additional powers to BSF within 50 KM belt running along the international borders, which is a direct attack on the federalism. I urge the Union Home Minister @AmitShah to immediately rollback this irrational decision.
— Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) October 13, 2021
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
