Taking an indirect jibe at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that it was difficult to stop infiltration and smuggling across the international border without the support of the local administration.
Shah, who is on a two-day visit to the state, asserted that a political situation would emerge soon when the local authorities would be “forced to extend help due to public pressure”.
Addressing a BSF function in North 24 Parganas district, the Union Home Minister said, “There will be a political situation when you will soon get that support due to public pressure. It is our duty to protect our borders from infiltration and smuggling.”
Earlier in the day, he flagged off a boat ambulance and floating border outposts (BOP) at Hingalganj in North 24 Parganas district.
After inaugurating the floating BOPs, Shah laid the foundation stone of the Maitri Sangrahalaya (museum) located at the Haridaspur BOP in the same district.
Addressing BSF personnel at the event, Shah said the newly launched BOP will help stop infiltration and smuggling. “These new initiatives will ensure a better surveillance in the porus border,” said Shah.
The number of floating BOPs has been increased to enhance surveillance in the inaccessible areas of the Sunderbans in West Bengal. Besides, the services of boat ambulance are also being started to provide medical assistance in inaccessible areas of the Sundarbans.
Shah said, “The Narendra Modi-led government’s aim is to make the country’s internal and external security impenetrable. We are working to provide our soldiers with the world’s most advanced technology for border security. The Central government is determined to ensure that our soldiers posted in the border areas face minimum difficulties. We will leave no stone unturned to make the lives of soldiers’ families better.”
On Friday, the Union Home Minister will visit the Teen Bigha corridor on the India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district and interact with BSF personnel at the Jhikabari BoP. He will later travel to Kolkata and hold a meeting with the MPs, MLAs and state office-bearers of the BJP‘s West Bengal unit.
His visit to the state will conclude with his attending a cultural event organized by the Ministry of Culture to celebrate the inclusion of Durga Puja on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.
Sources said that Shah is likely to visit BCCI president Sourav Ganguly‘s house in Kolkata’s Behala area for dinner, before leaving the state. Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta are likely to accompany him on Thursday.
Criticizing the Union Home Minister for his comments, Trinamool Congress (TMC) state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “We would appeal him not to turn the BSF into his party cadre. They must not be used for political interests.”
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