New Delhi: The central government has widened the scope of border security force (BSF) investigations in West Bengal, Punjab and Assam. Now BSF can check anyone up to 50 km within 50 km instead of 15 km from the border and arrest the suspect. Now, BSF need not take anyone's permission for it. However, the Mamata government in West Bengal is opposing the change. In fact, Bengal shares an international border of 2,216 km with Bangladesh. Nine districts of the State are Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata North, South 24 Parganas adjoining the Bangladesh border.

Basirhat is about 70 km from Kolkata and this is where the Bangladesh borders begin. That is, according to the 50 km rule, BSF can now take action up to the orifice of Kolkata. The 9 districts to which BSF have got the right to action cover 148 assembly seats and 23 Lok Sabha seats. That means half of the 294-member State Assembly seats are coming within these districts. More than half of the Lok Sabha seats have come under new change. That is why the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is strongly opposing it. They feel that at the behest of the Centre, BSF will take action and this will reduce the powers of the police.

The districts close to the Bangladesh border are wide short and overstretched, says Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, a senior West Bengal journalist. With a scope of investigation up to 50 km, half of a district has come under the scanner of BSF. It has to have a political impact. Several agencies including CBI, ED of the Centre are already investigating in Bengal. From time to time, TMC leaders are also called for questioning. Now the battle between the two parties will be more severe.

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