Badal bats for arming BSF, police with modern weaponry

In the wake of the recent terrorist attack on Pathankot IAF base, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today advocated equipping the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state police with advanced weapons and gadgets.
Punjab is a border state and hence more prone to cross-border attacks. The recent Pathankot and Dinanagar attacks are testimony to it, he said.
It's the need of the hour to provide ultra-modern gadgets and weapons to the state forces and BSF to check terrorism, he argued.
"The government of India must treat Punjab at par with the north eastern states and allocate liberal funds to modernise the state Police," Badal added.

Badal didn't agree with J-K Governor N N Vohra's suggestion on Tuesday that a separate Ministry be created out of the Home Ministry to handle security related issues.
"The state police should be well-equipped on pattern of north eastern states for dealing with internal problems while BSF deployment be increased on J-K pattern for checking infiltration into Punjab from across the border," he said.

He said Punjab is fighting the country's war against drug, though not a single ounce is produced in the state.
The state lies on the transit route of drug supply and is battling hard to act as a "barrier" to save the country from poison of drugs, Badal said.

Claiming that the state government has been able to cut off the supply line to a large extent, Badal said the Punjab police has put the peddlers behind the bars.
On Khadoor Sahib by-poll, the Chief Minister said the SAD-BJP alliance was fully prepared for it and people would repose faith in them.
Earlier, addressing the gathering, Badal alleged that forces inimical to the progress of the state were bent on disturbing its hard-earned peace.
However, SAD-BJP alliance would not allow these forces to succeed, he said. "We are committed to following the footsteps of our great Sikh gurus to protect peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state," added Badal.

He also announced that Rs 300 crore will be spent this year for providing canal water for irrigation in Doaba region.