Use tact and wisdom apart from vigil: Chidambaram to border force

Sending out a strong message to the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), guarding the porous and open Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders, Union home minister P Chidambaram today said the force needs to use "great tact and wisdom" to execute it's duties effectively.

"Unlike other borders, these two (Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan) borders present special difficulties. They are open borders. For a border guarding force with an open border... calls for great tact and wisdom apart from being vigilant and strong," Chidambaram said while addressing troops and officers during the 46th raising day celebrations here.

The home minister said he was glad to know that "SSB is giving importance for relocating it's Border Out Posts (BOPs) to strategic advantages closer to the international border to check the inflow of anti-national elements."

The SSB guards 1,751km of Indo-Nepal and 699km of Indo-Bhutan borders.

Chidambaram also praised the force for "setting a good precedent by making it compulsory for officers to visit all BOP's and frequently make a certain number of night halts" at these places.

On the sidelines of the event when the home minister was asked about the probe in the David Coleman Headley case he said, "let us see. The National Investigative Agency will investigate" without elaborating further.