Delhi/Chandigarh, October 15
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national spokesperson, Punjab Affairs co-in-charge and MLA from Delhi, Raghav Chadha vehemently opposing the additional powers given to the Border Security Force (BSF) by the Narendra Modi-led central government; has termed it as a robbery on the rights of the states and a direct attack on the national federal structure. Raghav Chadha also held Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi equally responsible for this dictatorial decision of the Centre as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah; because CM Channi had met the Prime Minister and the Home Minister a few days back and asked the Centre to take strict action to curb the high incidence of arms and drug trafficking on the international border with Pakistan. That is why Chief Minister Channi himself gave the key to the Centre to occupy 50 percent of Punjab, he added.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Raghav Chadha said, “This is because Chief Minister Channi Sahab has surrendered to the Prime Minister and handed over control of about 27,600 square kilometers of Punjab (which may be more than 50 percent of the entire Punjab) to Prime Minister Modi. By doing so, Channi Sahab has laid 100 percent federal structure at the feet of Modi.”
Raising several skeptical questions, Raghav Chadha sought an explanation from Chief Minister Channi to explain to the people of Punjab why this was done. According to Raghav Chadha, “The people want to know what ‘deal’ Chief Minister Channi has made with Prime Minister Modi and the BJP. What did Channi Sahab get that he let indirect President’s rule imposed on half of Punjab under ‘match fixing’. Indirectly, control of 12 (6 major and 6 partial) of the 23 districts was handed over to the BJP, because the BJP knows that it (BJP) can never form a government in Punjab; so why not half of Punjab be ruled indirectly through BSF.”
Raghav Chadha said, “The decision to increase the jurisdiction of the checkpoint from 15 km to 50 km along the international border for the BSF to search, arrest suspects and seizure under the Passport Act, NDPS Act and Customs Act; is not really a matter of national security, but a matter of national politics. The Channi government of Punjab has colluded with the BJP government at the centre on this issue.”
Chadha also raised question on the central government’s decision to increase the range of BSF by 35 km in Punjab and reducing it by 30 km in Gujarat, that isn’t it a matter of national security within the borders of Gujarat, but since the BJP has its own government there, it has excluded about 37 percent of the territory from the BSF’s jurisdiction. He alleged that it was an attempt to intimidate the people of Punjab by handing over such a unilateral decision before the elections. It can be misused and farmers may be arrested. Political revenge cannot be ruled out, he said.
The AAP leader further said that with the grace of Guru Maharaj’s blessings, no evil element will be able to break the social cohesion, mutual harmony and peace of Punjab, because there is no greater patriot than the Punjabis. Chadha said even in the war of independence, the greatest sacrifice and contribution was made by the warriors of Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the BJP-led centre government’s attempt to indirectly rule these nationalists through the BSF and assures the people of Punjab that the AAP will fight against it on every platform and will not allow the BJP’s plans to succeed.
Raghav Chadha said that the Kejriwal government in Delhi has been fighting the Narendra Modi government since 2015 to protect the rights and entitlements of the people of Delhi. He said with the help of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a federal structure has been set up in Delhi and this federal structure has been maintained with the strength of the Delhi electorate, though it has been repeatedly attacked. On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has knelt before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and indirectly allowed the BJP to occupy half of Punjab, he added.
He questioned, “Is the reason behind this a deal? Is it a collusion game? Or is there a file with the Modi government, which threatened Chief Minister Channi to surrender, as Channi met Prime Minister Modi on October 1 and met the Governor of Punjab (who was appointed by Modi) on October 4.” He said after meeting Home Minister Amit Shah on October 5, Chief Minister Channi disclosed that he had asked the Centre to take stern action against drug and arms smuggling on the Pakistan border. Under this, the Union Government on October 14 extended the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 km to 50 km.
