The Gujarat chief minister writes to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, says it is like creating ‘2nd state’.
Chief minister Narendra Modi has dashed off yet another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, this time warning him against giving wider powers to the Border Security Force (BSF). In a letter sent on Saturday, Modi has warned the prime minister against amending the Border Security Force Act-1968 to give the paramilitary force the power to arrest and search anybody in any part of India.
Modi has objected to such a move, especially when chief ministers of different states are meeting in New Delhi on April 16, 2012. He has alleged that this was yet another attempt by the Centre to ‘create a state within state’ or a ‘second state’.
He further said that as was mentioned in the agenda for discussions with chief ministers’ over the NCTC, similar provisions are already in place for other central paramilitary forces such as SSB, Indo-Tibetan border police (ITBP) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Modi expressed concern that some state governments had favoured the move to give the BSF more powers. He reminded the prime minister that the BSF was created to guard the country’s international borders and was given powers to arrest and investigate offenders under the CrPC in border areas.
Currently, the services of the military and paramilitary forces are requisitioned to assist civil authorities during natural calamities and other emergencies to maintain law and order. Modi has stated that paramilitary forces such as the State Reserve Police (SRP) of different states also perform their duties but they have not been given the authority to arrest or investigate.
The Gujarat chief minister has stated that the Centre says that it expects better coordination among different intelligence units and security forces to maintain internal security. At the same time, the Centre is trying to curtail the powers of the state police forces, Modi has alleged in his letter. He added that this was demoralising the police in the states, and this was something that could not be accepted in any circumstances.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}