Union Home Minister Amit Shah has lauded West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for handing over 1,129 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for fencing along the India-Bangladesh border in the state within 45 days of the new government coming to power. He said the request for the land required for the border fence had been pending since 2014. Mr Shah was speaking while attending a programme at the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Frontier Headquarters in the Ranidanga area of Siliguri in West Bengal yesterday.
The Home Minister said completing border fencing is crucial to stopping infiltration and protecting national security. He said the government will continue its zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigration. He said the process of identifying, removing and deporting illegal immigrants will be strictly followed. He also said that demographic changes would be strictly prevented.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the ‘Chicken Neck’, Mr Shah said it is vital for the security of the Northeast and the country. He said the corridor, which connects the Northeast with the rest of the country and is bordered by three countries — Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh — will be protected by a triangular grid of Army posts in Chopra, Dhubri and Kishanganj. On the occasion, he laid foundation stones for infrastructure worth around 189 crore rupees and inaugurated several other projects.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister also inaugurated a six-day awareness exhibition on the three new criminal laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, at Kawakhali Maidan in Siliguri.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Shah said the three new criminal laws will provide greater security to citizens. He announced that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has now been fully implemented in the state and said justice will be ensured within three years of the filing of an FIR. Mr Shah said the new criminal laws, which make extensive use of technology and forensic science, are aimed at ensuring speedy, timely and victim-centric justice. He said the judicial system will be transformed with “three Ts: Technology, Transparency and Timeline”.
He said the BJP government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari implemented the new laws within three days of assuming office, fulfilling its promise of establishing trust, not fear. He appealed to the people of North Bengal to visit the exhibition. The Home Minister also urged people associated with the justice system, law enforcement and policing in the state to visit the exhibition and familiarise themselves with the new laws.
On the occasion, Mr Shah also inaugurated the newly constructed Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate building and a 20-bed drug addiction treatment centre at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.
