Firebrand Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra just lately posted on X a picture of the letterhead of Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur. The letter requested the “Firm Commando” of the 85 Battalion BSF to allow Jiyarul Gazi of Hakimpur to hold three kilogrammes of beef. The authenticity of the doc has kind of been confirmed by the minister, in accordance with a report printed in ThePrint on 9 July.
Thakur has alleged that the BSF within the space is offering safety to TMC politicians. Alleging political bias by the BSF has develop into a development amongst West Bengal politicians. I can vouch for the political neutrality of the BSF, having commanded a big frontier in West Bengal. In over three years commanding the North Bengal Frontier, neither I nor any of my subordinates was ever approached by any politician for any sort of favour or request. The allegation has no foundation because the drive is managed by the central authorities, with troops from all elements of the nation, and has no vested curiosity in serving to any political get together.
On this case, it’s related to grasp the geography of the world to place issues in perspective. The village Karimpur is closely populated, with a big share of Muslims. It’s situated on the financial institution of the river Sonai, which flows alongside the Worldwide Border, and the sting of the village is nearly 20 metres from the border. Being situated so near the border, it’s troublesome to maintain it underneath steady surveillance as a border commentary put up (BOP) can’t be established forward of the village. Due to this fact, the BOP Karimpur has been established a long way away.
The motion of males and items to and from the village is regulated by a test put up established by the BSF on the highway approaching the village from the rear. The one useful resource deployed forward of the village is a patrol boat of the Water Wing of the BSF within the river Sonai. The BOP Karimpur falls underneath the jurisdiction of the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF and was manned by the 85 Battalion of the BSF till a number of months in the past. Nonetheless, the BOP is at present underneath the jurisdiction of an ad-hoc unit on account of a scaling down from the border initially for elections and now for the annual changeover.
Additionally learn: Meghalaya BJP Minister Sanbor Shullai asks individuals to eat extra beef than another meat
A observe misused
The village has been infamous for cattle smuggling and different prohibited objects. There was greater than a thousand retailers within the village storing items far in extra of what might be consumed domestically. Most of those items, after being dropped at the village, have been smuggled to Bangladesh. In view of this, the BSF, together with civil administration and native residents, shaped a committee named the “Hakimpur Verify Submit Committee” and positioned restrictions on the quantum of products that might be taken to the village market. The consensus choice to kind the committee and impose restrictions was challenged within the Calcutta Excessive Court docket. Nonetheless, the petition was dismissed by the court docket, stating unequivocally that the BSF might impose affordable restrictions at or across the border space to make sure safety and integrity. There have been a pair extra writs filed by vested pursuits, however the court docket has upheld the BSF’s mandate.
A broadly reported assertion by an nameless BSF supply claiming that such permits are frequent observe is much from the reality. It should be famous that the consumption of beef shouldn’t be prohibited in West Bengal. Due to this fact, permitting a small quantity of cattle for native consumption by villagers located forward of the fence near the border upon their request shouldn’t be unusual. Nonetheless, that is the primary occasion I’ve come throughout of beef being taken throughout throughout non-festival instances.
It seems particular to Hakimpur village that beef in small portions in its uncooked kind is allowed to be carried by villagers upon written suggestion from a Gram Panchayat member. The Gram Panchayat members have misused this observe by issuing a number of such suggestions every day, allegedly for a consideration. Villagers thus carried portions a lot bigger than what might often be consumed domestically, resulting in the idea that a big share of the meat was being smuggled to Bangladesh, the place there may be excessive demand. This enabled them to avoid, to some extent, the strict measures taken by the BSF to regulate cattle smuggling.
In view of this misuse, native BSF commanders have been actively contemplating discontinuing this association. Nonetheless, it couldn’t be applied as a result of withdrawal of the unit for elections and the next annual changeover.
Additionally it is learnt that there was a battle between Gram Panchayat members belonging to BJP, who complained to MoS Thakur that TMC members have been discriminating in opposition to BJP supporters. This will likely clarify why Thakur took it upon himself to concern such permits. On-camera, Jiyarul Gazi, the transporter to whom the minister issued the advice, acknowledged that he had paid Rs 200 for the letter, elevating critical moral and ethical questions. Thakur is a public servant, and it’s odd that one in all his constituents needed to pay cash to get a small job achieved. This can be a critical breach of privilege and must be investigated.
Additional, it’s ironic {that a} member of a staunch Hindu supremacist get together, which considers cow sacred, advisable that an individual be allowed to hold beef. That is unqualified hypocrisy.
Additionally learn: Muslims In India have sought ban on cow slaughter for many years. However politics didn’t enable it
Enhance administration
The episode highlights that the poor inhabitants of border areas are subjected to exploitation even for small duties by the very individuals presupposed to work in direction of enhancing their high quality of life. It additionally brings into focus the dilemma that the BSF faces in fulfilling its mandated duties of inculcating a way of safety amongst border residents whereas stopping smuggling and different border crimes. Such restrictions are the explanation relations between the drive and border residents are largely adversarial, regardless of the BSF’s efforts to win them over by way of good behaviour, civic motion, and border space growth programmes. The sensation among the many border inhabitants is that the safety measures are extremely intrusive concerning their private lives.
Information signifies that the quantum of cattle seized on the border has drastically diminished from what it was a decade in the past. Authorities attribute this to stricter measures put in place by them. The discount in cattle smuggling can also be attributed to reported efforts by Bangladesh to provoke cattle rearing throughout the nation to scale back dependence on Indian cattle. Whereas this can be true, the BSF authorities should analyse the quantum of beef being taken throughout to the villages situated throughout the fence in uncooked kind. If this observe is prevalent in different elements of the border alongside Bangladesh, the character of smuggling might have modified from cattle to uncooked beef, although it will be troublesome to protect uncooked beef and forestall it from spoiling throughout transportation.
The BSF is essentially apolitical, and this elite Border Guarding Power should proceed to stay so. Politicians should chorus from interfering within the work of the BSF and from instantly addressing their communications to decrease operational functionaries.
Most significantly, the episode factors to the pressing have to assessment border administration practices to reinforce the standard of life for border residents somewhat than being intrusive.
Sanjiv Krishan Sood is the BSF Extra Director Normal (Retd). He tweets @sood_2. Views are private.
(Edited by Prashant)
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