Demand for additional central forces-Centre’s decision extending BSF jurisdiction vindicated: BJP

CHANDIGARH, (Gurpreet) : The Bharatiya Janata Party today said that the union home ministry’s decision last year to extend the operational jurisdiction of the Border Security Force in Punjab and other bordering states stood vindicated after the Aam Aadmi Party government sought deployment of ten additional companies of the central security forces from the centre.

The party also asked the government to have faith in Punjab Police, as it is competent and capable enough to deal with any situation. “If Punjab Police could defeat and wipe out terrorism, it can defeat any threat, provided you let it do its job dutifully and not misuse it for targeting your political opponents”, the state BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma told the Chief Minister, adding, "have faith in punjab police and let them do policing instead of political vendetta".

The party demanded that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must come out with a statement on the security situation prevailing in the state.

The BJP general secretary asked what had happened in just two months of the Aam Aadmi Party rule in Punjab that there was a need to get additional central security forces. “People of Punjab are worried and concerned over what is happening in the state”, the BJP leader said, adding, “recent incidents of weapons seizure and attack on intelligence headquarters in Mohali have further added to public fears”.

He said that the AAP government seeking additional central forces is more concerning particularly when the same party had staged state-wide protests against the government of India’s orders extending the operational jurisdiction of the Border Security Force in Punjab mainly for the security reasons. “At that time, you dubbed it as an attack on the federal set up of the country and now you are seeking additional forces”, he pointed out.

“Something serious must have happened during the last two months that there has been a change of heart”, Sharma remarked, adding, people of Punjab are more worried as this government is not only inexperienced but incompetent and arrogant also and has been perpetually in the denial mode.