The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today called on the Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh and urged him to direct the CBI to put the sensitive ‘Bargari’ case involving sacrilege of Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji on “the fastest, most expeditious and priority mode so that culprits in the case are identified, apprehended and given exemplary punishment under the law.” “This must be deemed a national priority as it involves the profound and sacred sentiments of millions of people all over the world, Sikhs as well as all right thinking people in every community everywhere. ,” said Mr Badal while talking to Rajnath Singh. Badal, who is also the Home Minister of the state, further urged the home minister to strengthen, reinforce and ‘completely modernize’ the functional capabilities and combat-response vigil of the Border Security Force (BSF) all along the border with Pakistan adjoining Punjab.
Mr Badal said although “the BSF and other forces tasked with the sensitive responsibility of blocking infiltration of hostile element including terrorists had always stood up to the challenge in a most commendable manner, yet there have been instances that left something to be desired so that the border is not breached , as it had been done by highly trained terrorists who attacked Dinanagar and now Pathankot.
Badal said that the numerical strength of the BSF and other forces had been shown to be inadequate and insufficient to deal with the rising specter of cross-border terrorism. Mr. Badal said that in view of the highly motivated, sophisticated and technologically advanced nature of the threat from cross border terrorism, our forces on the border need only to the significantly increased numerically but they also need to be given state –of-the-art combat and communication weaponry and equipments so that they are always ahead of the terrorist.Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the Punjab Police had always dealt with the cross border terrorists in a most courageous and professionally competent manner. He said that the Dinanagar attack was effectively neutralized by the brave constabulary and officers of the Punjab Police. Similarly, he said in Pathankot the most timely intelligence sharing and combat response of the state police had resulted in prompt deployment of the National Security Guards (NSG), The Army and the Air Force personnel. He said that it was only because of this timely deployment that the terrorists were not allowed at all to inflict any damage on the most sensitive strategic and technical assets and equipment including invaluable fighter and bomber planes.
Giving details of the meeting between Mr. Badal and Union home Minister, Harcharn Bains Advisor to Chief Minister on National affairs said the Punjab Deputy CM had on several occasions in the past repeatedly emphasized the need for a complete re-look at the internal security capabilities of various central and state government agencies and forces. “Mr Sukhbir Singh has always felt and said at the national plat forums that the dividing line between internal and external security had vanished in view of the new and highly developed technology which terrorists all over the world had accessed. Mr. Sukhbir Singh had personally highlighted to Mr P. Chidambram when the latter was the Home Minister of the country the various inadequacies and weaknesses in weaponry, strategic training and availability and access to the state of the art counter-terror technology including the highly sophisticated communications gadgetry to remain one step ahead of the terrorists with superior intelligence.,” said Mr Bains.Sukhbir Singh Badal had been demanding that the central budgetary layout on modernisation of police and Para military force. “Police modernization budget is abysmal at the present and does not reflect the deadly nature of the threats posed to the country from terrorism. This budgetary outlay needed to be enhanced manifold.” This is particularly true now the terrorists always manage to acquire the most sophisticated and the deadliest fighting gadgetry both in terms of weapons and hi–end communications apparatus, using the state-of-the-art information & technology.“