Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The process of handing over land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for erecting fencing along unfenced borders with neighbouring Bangladesh has begun. Around 27 km of land was officially handed over to the BSF, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told media persons at the state secretariat on May 20. He also assured that the process of handing over the entire land required for the purpose would be completed within the next two weeks.
“The official handover of 27 kilometres of land to the Border Security Force is just the beginning of the process. The entire process is expected to be completed within the next two weeks because of the cooperation from the patriotic people of West Bengal and efficient functioning by the extremely skilled and talented state Government officials,” Adhikari said.
The CM also said that since the new Government has taken charge, there has been a series of coordination meetings between the BSF and state Government officials.
“Such coordination meetings will be conducted regularly henceforth. The Union Government will provide the money for that land,” the Chief Minister informed. Speaking on the occasion, Adhikari also elaborated on how the previous state Government under the leadership of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had avoided handing over land to the BSF to serve the Trinamool Congress’s political agenda.
“India’s total international border with Bangladesh is a little over 4,000 kilometres, out of which a little over 2,000 kilometres are in West Bengal. Again, in West Bengal, around 1,600 kilometres of the border has barbed fencing, while the remaining 600 kilometres are unfenced. The previous Government could have easily handed over at least 555 kilometres of land to the Border Security Force had it had the goodwill to do that. That was not done deliberately to fulfil the narrow agenda of appeasement politics,” said Adhikari.
