The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The decision of the Central government to extend the jurisdiction of the Border Security force (BSF) upto 50 kilometers inside the international borders in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam from the earlier 15 kilometers jurisdiction is an encroachment on the rights of the states and the federal principle.
The Central government has taken this decision to extend the jurisdiction of the Central police force without consulting the states. Policing and law and order is a state subject and this decision violates federalism, a basic feature of our Constitution.
The CPI(M) demands that this decision be withdrawn.