The Ministry of Home Affairs has on October 15, 2021 amended the schedule of an earlier notification of 2014 to increase jurisdiction of Border Security Force (BSF) a Central Paramilitary Force from 15 kms to 50 kms along the international borders. While the whole areas of Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh are already under jurisdiction of BSF, it vastly increases the areas under BSF jurisdiction in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam as such areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat were already under BSF jurisdiction. It brings almost half of Punjab and about more than half of West Bengal under BSF jurisdiction.

This decision of the Central Govt. is a crude attack on the rights of states. This reduces the rights of the states even under a quasi federal Constitution of the country. It is an attempt by ruling fascist forces to further centralize power in the hands of Union Govt. It is part of their fascist design to increase the reach of Central forces in a situation where large parts of the country are not under their rule through state govts. It is also an attempt to increase militarization of the state under the conditions where Central Govt. is making laws more draconian and further sharpening the weapons of repression.

It is also an attempt by the fascist rulers to bring the issues of national security to the centre stage for their attack on federalism besides attempt to divert the people from struggles which they are waging in defense of their rights against the Govt. onslaught in service of foreign and domestic corporate. Besides diverting the attention, it is also an attempt to further arm the Central Govt. to suppress the ongoing peasant struggle in which Punjab peasants are playing a very important role. The Central Govt. is resorting to tactics of “divert and suppress.”

This move has come at a time when crisis in J&K has further deepened. Fascist measures like virtual abrogation of Article 370, annulment of Article 35A and dissolution of the state of J&K into two union territories has worsened the already crisis-ridden situation in that state. This move is to cover up Govt. failures including in J&K and Govt. service of the corporate like three black Acts and four Labour Codes besides changes in environmental regulations and forest conservation law.

This move deals yet another blow on federalism even to the extent enshrined in the Constitution. It is part of the fascist rulers’ attack on the people. This attack must be resisted.

Central Committee of CPI (ML)-New Democracy strongly condemns extension of BSF jurisdiction and demands that it must be immediately and totally withdrawn.

Central Committee

CPI (ML)-New Democracy

16.10.2021