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9 Dec 2025·Source: The Indian Express
3 min
Polity & GovernancePolity & GovernanceInternational RelationsNEWS

Mamata Banerjee Warns BSF Against High-Handedness on Bengal Border

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee criticized the BSF for alleged high-handedness and pushing Indian citizens into Bangladesh.

Mamata Banerjee Warns BSF Against High-Handedness on Bengal Border

Photo by Md Arafat Ul Alam

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Border Security Force (BSF) of high-handedness along the India-Bangladesh border, alleging that Indian citizens are being pushed into Bangladesh. She stated that such actions would not be tolerated and emphasized that the BSF's jurisdiction is limited to 15 km from the border.

This statement highlights ongoing tensions between state governments and central forces, particularly concerning border management and the rights of citizens in border areas. It also brings into focus the operational autonomy of central armed police forces (CAPFs) and their interaction with state administration.

मुख्य तथ्य

1.

Mamata Banerjee accused BSF of high-handedness

2.

Allegation that Indian citizens are being pushed into Bangladesh

3.

CM stated BSF's jurisdiction is limited to 15 km from the border

4.

Meeting held in Kolkata with BSF officials and state police

UPSC परीक्षा के दृष्टिकोण

1.

Centre-State relations, particularly concerning law and order and deployment of central forces.

2.

Constitutional provisions related to Union List (Entry 2A), State List (Entry 1 & 2), and concurrent powers.

3.

Role, powers, and jurisdiction of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like BSF.

4.

Border management challenges and strategies.

5.

Federalism and cooperative federalism in India.

6.

Human rights implications in border areas.

दृश्य सामग्री

BSF Jurisdiction Dispute: West Bengal Border

This map illustrates the geographical context of the dispute between West Bengal and the BSF regarding its operational jurisdiction along the India-Bangladesh border. It highlights the state of West Bengal and the international border, where the 15 km vs. 50 km jurisdiction debate is centered.

Loading interactive map...

📍West Bengal Border Area📍Bangladesh
और जानकारी

पृष्ठभूमि

The Border Security Force (BSF) is one of India's Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) responsible for guarding India's land borders. Historically, its operational jurisdiction for powers of arrest, search, and seizure under specific central acts (like CrPC, Customs Act, Passport Act) was limited to a certain distance from the international border. Tensions between central forces and state governments, particularly concerning jurisdiction and operational autonomy, are not new and often stem from the division of powers under the Indian Constitution, where 'Law and Order' is a State subject.

नवीनतम घटनाक्रम

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BSF of 'high-handedness' and pushing Indian citizens into Bangladesh, asserting that the BSF's jurisdiction is limited to 15 km from the border. This statement comes in the context of a 2021 notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that extended the BSF's jurisdiction for exercising powers of arrest, search, and seizure from 15 km to 50 km from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam. This extension was met with strong opposition from the respective state governments, who viewed it as an infringement on their constitutional powers and an attack on federalism.

बहुविकल्पीय प्रश्न (MCQ)

1. With reference to the Border Security Force (BSF) and its jurisdiction, consider the following statements: 1. The BSF is primarily responsible for guarding India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. 2. The powers of arrest, search, and seizure for BSF personnel under specific central acts are uniformly extended to 50 km from the international border across all border states of India. 3. The BSF operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: A

Statement 1 is correct. BSF is the primary border guarding force for India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders. Statement 2 is incorrect. The extension of jurisdiction to 50 km was specifically for Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam, and not uniformly across all border states (e.g., Gujarat's limit was reduced from 80 km to 50 km, while for Northeastern states, it remained 80 km). The notification was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, not Defence. Statement 3 is incorrect. BSF, like other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), not the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

2. In the context of Centre-State relations regarding the deployment and operation of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in India, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. 'Public Order' and 'Police' are subjects exclusively listed under the State List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. 2. The Union Parliament can legislate on the deployment of any armed force of the Union in a State 'in aid of the civil power' under Entry 2A of the Union List. 3. A State government's consent is constitutionally mandatory for the deployment of CAPFs within its territory for any purpose, including border guarding. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: C

Statement 1 is correct. 'Public Order' (Entry 1) and 'Police' (Entry 2) are indeed subjects exclusively listed under the State List (List II) of the Seventh Schedule. Statement 2 is correct. Entry 2A of the Union List (List I) allows the Union to legislate on the 'deployment of any armed force of the Union or any other force subject to the control of the Union or any contingent or unit thereof in any State in aid of the civil power; powers, jurisdiction, privileges and liabilities of the members of such forces while on such deployment'. This entry was added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976. Statement 3 is incorrect. While consent is generally sought for deployment 'in aid of civil power' for law and order duties, the Union has powers to deploy its forces for its own purposes (e.g., border guarding, protecting central installations) without explicit state consent, especially under specific central acts like the BSF Act, 1968, which governs the BSF's operations. The controversy arises precisely because the MHA notification extended BSF's powers without state consent, leading to allegations of federal overreach.

3. Consider the following pairs of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and their primary roles: 1. Border Security Force (BSF): India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders 2. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): India-China border 3. Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders 4. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF): Internal security and anti-Naxal operations Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: A

Pair 1 is correctly matched. BSF guards India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders. Pair 2 is correctly matched. ITBP guards the India-China border. Pair 3 is correctly matched. SSB guards India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders. Pair 4 is incorrectly matched. CISF's primary role is to provide security cover to industrial undertakings, government infrastructure projects, and other vital installations. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is primarily responsible for internal security, anti-Naxal operations, and aiding civil power.

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