Biswabrata Goswami
SANTIPUR, 1 FEB: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during a speech in Santipur, has accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of “torturing people and issuing separate identity cards to residents in border areas.” She cautioned locals against accepting such identity cards from the BSF, asserting that the force has no authority to distribute them.
Addressing concerns about alleged harassment by the BSF in border regions, Miss Banerjee emphasized that the BSF’s role is solely to ensure border security and they do not have the right to issue any inner-line cards to residents. She directed the district magistrate S Arun Prasadh to oversee the distribution of such cards to residents if necessary.
“BSF has the duty to maintain border safety, but they do not have the authority to distribute any cards to residents. If needed, it is the responsibility of the district magistrate, or the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), or the Block Development Officer (BDO) to distribute such cards,” Miss Banerjee asserted during her address.
The statement comes amid rising tensions between the state government and the central forces, particularly the BSF, over their operations and alleged misconduct in border areas. Miss Banerjee’s remarks underscore her administration’s stance on maintaining control over administrative matters within the state.
Miss Banerjee’s directive to the district magistrate indicates a firm stance against what she perceives as overreach by the BSF and an insistence on maintaining state authority over such matters.
The Chief Minister’s accusations and instructions are likely to fuel further debate and scrutiny over the role and jurisdiction of central forces, particularly the BSF, in border areas within West Bengal.
Local reactions to Miss Banerjee’s statements vary, with some expressing support for her position against alleged BSF misconduct, while others await further clarification on the issue.
Meanwhile, the BSF has firmly denied the accusations made by Miss Banerjee, alleging that BSF personnel were distributing separate identity cards to residents of villages near the India-Bangladesh borders in the state. In a statement issued on Wednesday, a BSF spokesman reiterated that their personnel are solely focused on ensuring the security of India’s borders and are not involved in the distribution of identity cards, as the agency lacks the authority for such activities.
BSF insiders shed light on the matter, explaining that their primary responsibility is to issue gate passes to residents of the state whose farmlands lie in the “no man’s land” beyond the barbed fence along the border. These residents require gate passes to access their farms for agricultural purposes. The gate passes serve as documentation for their movements to and from the “no man’s land” and are required to be presented while entering and exiting the area.
This clarification from BSF insiders offers insight into the specific role the force plays in facilitating the movement of residents whose livelihoods are directly impacted by the border arrangements. It highlights the administrative measures in place to ensure the smooth functioning of agricultural activities in border areas.
