New Delhi: BSF personnel should check the smuggling of cattle, especially cows, from India-Bangladesh border and clamp it down at any cost, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday.
"You (BSF) have to work on many frontiers. You have to strive to stop illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, deal with narcotics, fake currency notes being smuggled from this border.
"I want to tell BSF jawans and officers that you should stop the smuggling of cows (at this border) at any cost and if you are doing that already I compliment you for that," the
Home Minister said while delivering his speech during the 45th Raising Day celebrations of the force.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed was also among those attended the event. Cow is revered by the Hindus and the RSS and its affiliated associations have been vocal about the illegal transport of cows and other cattle across the border for slaughtering.
The 4,096 km Indo-Bangla border is guarded by the Border Security Force, with BGB the counterpart on other side, and this frontier is notorious for smuggling of cattle, narcotics and fake Indian currency notes.
The Home Minister also lauded the country's largest border guarding force, which also guards the Indo-Pak border, for giving a befitting reply to Pakistan during the recent spate of ceasefire violations.
"You showed a lot of patience during these ceasefire violations despite Pakistan provoking and doing repeated violations. It is because of your hardwork that no one can cast its evil eye on India. You have a glint of patriotism on your faces today," he said.
The Home Minister also sounded words of caution for neighbouring countries when reporters, on the sidelines of the event, asked him about the emergence of terror groups like ISIS and similar activities on the eastern flank related to Burdwan blasts.
"A threat is threat. I think even in our neighbouring countries anywhere when these terrorist organisations raise their heads then definitely all neighbouring countries should take precautions because no one can remain untouched (by their activities)," he said after the event at a BSF camp.
Singh added that the security mechanism of the country has devised "plans" to stop and check such terrorist activities and these measures were also discussed during the recently held conference of the top police brass of the country in Guwahati.
He said he cannot rule out further arrests in the ISIS terror case in which one Mumbai-based youth has been arrested recently by the NIA.
Talking about the security of public rallies of BJP President Amit Shah in West Bengal, he said that it was the "responsibility of the state government to see that no untoward incident happens" during such events.
