Ajnala/Dera Baba Nanak, October 16: The Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Friday-Saturday midnight conducted surprise checking of the Punjab Police nakas alongside the India-Pakistan International border at Amritsar (Rural), Batala and Gurdaspur Districts.
Randhawa who personally took stock of the ground situation at the Punjab Police nakas at Jagdev Khurd, Gagomahal, Dariya Moosa, Singpura, Ghonewala bridge and Dera Baba Nanak, directed the Punjab Police to remain forever vigilant and categorically made it clear that any laxity with regard to the security and law & order would not be tolerated at any cost and dereliction of duty in this matter would be strictly dealt with and offenders strongly punished.
Randhawa was accompanied by IG Border Range Mohnish Chawla, SSP Amritsar (Rural) Rakesh Kaushal and SSP Batala Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar.
Patting the back of police personnel who are discharging their duty with devotion, the Home Minister said that during this checking programme chalked out at short notice, he is fully satisfied with Punjab police doing full justice to its duty.
The Deputy Chief Minister who also holds the Home Portfolio, said that Punjab Police is fully capable of safeguarding the security and Law & Order of the State as well as the sovereignty of the country. He also said that the nefarious move by the Union Government to weaken the States’ Police Forces by extending the jurisdiction of the BSF to 50 Kms won’t be allowed to succeed.
Sounding a note of caution to the police officers and personnel of the border region, the Deputy Chief Minister added that zero tolerance policy should be adopted in the matter pertaining to the cross border smuggling of drugs and weapons and any carelessness in this regard would be simply intolerable.
Divulging further, S. Randhawa said that some anti social elements with their narrow interests are spreading baseless rumours about the law & order situation along the International border of Punjab. He warned such elements and said that Punjab and it’s people are fully safe
Warning those indulging in rumour mongering about danger from Pakistan, S. Randhawa said that Punjab didn’t let the wrong designs of such anti-State people to succeed during tough times of the past and now when there is peaceful atmosphere in the State with people professing all the religions living peacefully with each other, the Punjabis know fully well how to give a befitting reply to such rogue forces as it has done always.
Reiterating once again that Punjab is in safe hands, the Deputy Chief Minister said that every sacrifice would be made when the need arises. He said that Punjab is the sword arm of the nation which has always defended it on every front. He also mentioned that the recent decision on BSF are a mere ploy by the Central Government to instill unnecessary fear and such plans would never be allowed to succeed.
“The Punjab Government stands by the security forces as they defend and secure our borders.
It is due to the sacrifices of our security forces that the people of the country sleep in peace”, said S. Randhawa.