Is this what TMC govt thinks of BSF? TMC MLA Triggers uproar after he claims BSF touch women inappropriately

Kolkata, Nov 17: In a major shocker, Trinamool Congress MLA Udayan Guha passed a statement that personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) touches women inappropriately when they cross the border in West Bengal.

 

Guha made these derogatory remarks during a discussion in the West Bengal Assembly on a resolution against BSF’s jurisdiction extension. The remarks also triggered chaos in the Assembly. Guha had said, "When women cross the border, BSF personnel in the name of search touch them inappropriately. No matter how much they say Bharat Mata Ki Jai, they can't be patriotic."

 

 

Reacting to the allegations, a BSF officer rejected the claims and stated that only women personnel frisk females at the border. The officer said the allegation of frisking women inappropriately is baseless. "BSF is a professional force that has always performed the mandated duties by adhering to the rules and regulations. BSF Mahila Praharis are the ones who do frisking of females. The allegations of inappropriately touching women by BSF personnel are utterly baseless," the BSF officer was quoted as saying by ANI.

 

 

 

Soon after this, BJP leader Saumitra Khan on Wednesday sought the arrest of Guha for making derogatory remarks on the forces. Slamming TMC leader, Khan said that he would write a letter to PM Narendra Modi to arrest Guha immediately for his remarks on BSF. He added that a case must be registered under the Indian Army Act against Guha for insulting the BSF. He had also threatened BJP MLA Mihir Goswami during the debate in the assembly and said that "if you enter the area, your arms and legs will be broken."

 

 

On the other hand, the Centre had last month decided to expand the BSF’s jurisdiction inside the international borders, empowering the defence forces to carry out searches, arrest suspects and make seizures up to an area of 50 kms within India’s territory from the International Border (IB) along Pakistan and Bangladesh. Earlier, the BSF was allowed to take action only up to 15 kms in the states of Punjab, West Bengal and Assam, but now it has been authorised to extend it till 50 kms without any requirement of permission either from Central or state governments.

 

Speaking on this matter, BSF today said that the enhanced jurisdiction will help BSF to strengthen the hands of the police. "The enhanced jurisdiction will help BSF to strengthen the hands of the police. This is an enabling provision which is aimed at strengthening and complementing the efforts of the State Police," reads the statement issued by BSF.

 

 

"BSF has been acting in close coordination with police to conduct Joint Operations including Joint depth area patrolling, deploying joint Nakas etc and establishing of Anti Human Trafficking Units at different places along the Indo-Bangladesh border,"iIt further said. It also said that apart from West Bengal and Assam, the other states where BSF is deployed in eastern theatre are Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura the jurisdiction of BSF covers the whole state.

 

"BSF has no policing powers, as it does not have powers to register FIRs or to carry out investigations. Any seizure or apprehension made have to be handed over to state police or any other law enforcement agency. The state police jurisdiction continues to be till International Boundary. Synergy with all state agencies is being maintained by BSF for maintaining security at the international border," the statement added.