Kolkata, 20 May (H.S.) : The BJP government in West Bengal has decided to hand over land stretching across 27 kilometres to the Border Security Force (BSF) to strengthen border security infrastructure in the state. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari made the announcement during a press conference at Nabanna on Wednesday, while also signalling a tough stance against illegal infiltration.
The Chief Minister said the state cabinet had approved the proposal for land transfer to the BSF and that, in the first phase, land covering 27 kilometres would be made available within the next two weeks. He added that the Chief Secretary and the Land and Revenue Secretary had been tasked with completing the process within 45 days.
Adhikari said the India-Bangladesh border is nearly 4,000 kilometres long, of which around 2,200 kilometres fall within West Bengal. He claimed that fencing has so far been completed along only 1,600 kilometres in the state, leaving nearly 600 kilometres still unsecured. Alleging political appeasement by the previous government, he said the BSF had earlier been denied the required land for border fencing.
The Chief Minister further alleged that incidents related to law and order, women’s safety, forced religious conversion and other criminal activities in border areas involved a significant number of illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh. He said the state government would now hold regular coordination meetings with the BSF on border security issues.
During the press conference, Adhikari also stated that those not covered under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be treated as illegal infiltrators. Such individuals, he said, would be arrested by the state police and handed over to the BSF for further deportation procedures. He added that the Centre had issued guidelines on the matter last year, which are now being implemented by the new government.
Calling the move only the “beginning” of a larger border security initiative, the Chief Minister said the state would extend further support to the BSF as required. Senior BSF officials present at the event welcomed him with bouquets and commemorative mementoes.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
