The resolution against Centre's BSF move was moved by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister. (File)
The Punjab Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution against the Centre's notification extending the Border Security Force (BSF)'s jurisdiction and sought its withdrawal while terming it an "insult" to the state police. In the absence of the two BJP members of the assembly, the House unanimously passed the resolution "rejecting" the Centre's order.
The Centre had last month 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.
The resolution was moved by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
It stated that "Punjab is a land of martyrs. They have made exemplary sacrifices in our country's freedom struggle".
"The Punjab Police is a unique patriotic force which has contributed immensely in maintaining the unity and integrity of the country. As per the Constitution of India, maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the state government and for this purpose, the Government of Punjab is fully competent," it added.
The decision of extending the jurisdiction of the BSF from 15 km to 50 km by the Union Government is an "expression of distrust" towards the state police and the people of Punjab. This is their "insult" too, the resolution stated.
It further said the Centre should have consulted the state before taking such a major decision, adding the law-and-order situation in Punjab is totally under control and there is no need to extend the jurisdiction of the BSF.
"All political parties of Punjab have unanimously condemned the decision of the Union government and have demanded that the Union Government should withdraw notification dated 11.10.2021 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
"Therefore, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously resolves that a resolution rejecting the notification of the central government in this regard may be passed, " it added.
Mr Randhawa termed the Centre's notification on extending BSF's jurisdiction an "attack on the federal structure". The Assembly members should meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue, he said, adding that the state government would move the High Court and Supreme Court over the Centre's notification.
The deputy chief minister further said the first line of defence was with the BSF while the second line of defence was jointly held by the Punjab police and the border security force.
Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia told the House that the Congress-led government in the state should pass a decision that the Punjab Police would not cooperate with the BSF beyond 15 km.
He attacked the treasury benches while referring towards Congress MP Manish Tewari's recent tweet in which he had questioned that why the Centre's notification had not been challenged.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu slammed Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Majithia for not attending the all-party meeting called last month on the Centre's notification.
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi hit out at the Akalis, alleging they were the "gateway" through which the RSS, which has always been "inimical" to the interests of Punjab, managed to make inroads in the state.
"When the RSS and its political wing the BJP undermined the federal structure of the country by revoking the Article 370 not only did the Akalis take sides with them but SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal spoke in favour of the move and even went to the extent of not voting against the undemocratic move," he said.
Mr Channi accused the Akalis of being responsible for the "imposition of such decisions on Punjab".
On his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Mr Channi said those were courtesy calls.
"Perhaps the Akalis have chosen to forget very conveniently that I wrote letters to the Union Government emphasizing the reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor besides pleading with it repeatedly to roll back the three draconian agricultural farm laws which are striking at the very roots of the farming sector which forms the backbone of our agrarian economy."
Mr Channi told the House that in his meetings with the Centre on security issues, he always took the consistent stand that the international border should be sealed so that drugs could not enter Punjab.
"I never asked them to increase the jurisdiction of the BSF in the state which I am being falsely accused of. I am vehemently in opposition to this move by the Government of India," he said.
Earlier, Transport minister Amarinder Singh Raja Warring took a dig at Sukhbir Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal for having the central security forces deployed with them and asked them whether they did not have faith in the Punjab police.
Former chief ministers Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal were not present at the House session.
AAP MLA Aman Arora questioned Mr Channi's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah last month and said after his meeting, the Centre, brought a notification on the BSF's jurisdiction. Later, the AAP MLAs staged a walkout over the BSF issue.
Earlier, the AAP and Akali MLAs had staged a walkout for not being allowed to raise other issues.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)