Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 5 inaugurated ‘Maitri Sangrahalaya’ (Friendship Museum), along with three floating BOPs (border outposts) in the riverine border areas of West Bengal.
Referring to Bangladesh’s War of Independence, Mr. Shah said India had always worked for the protection of human rights in the region.
“In the 1970s when human rights in our neighbouring country were violated, the BSF and the Indian Army upheld human rights in the area and helped in the creation of Bangladesh. We are observing 50 years of the creation of Bangladesh and, for lasting memory of this feat, we are coming up with Maitri Museum at a cost of ₹8 crore… This is also 75 years of our independence and India has always defended human rights in the region,” Mr. Shah said after the inauguration.
The Home Minister said the Sundarbans, a part of which is India and the other in Bangladesh, remained very sensitive for the nation’s security, where the border-guarding forces had to deal with the twin challenges of “infiltration and smuggling”.
He added that three floating BOPs – Sutlej, Narmada and Kaveri – had been pressed into the nation’s service in the region.
“The BOPs have been developed by Kochi Shipyard and each has come up at cost of ₹30 crore each,” the Home Minister said.
The BOPs with three digi-sets can remain afloat without refilling fuel for a month and will guard the 80-km riverine border between India and Bangladesh. Three more BOPs will be added to the fleet in the days to come.
Mr. Shah pointed out that guarding the border in these areas posed a challenge as, in certain places, the borders between the two countries were at a stone’s throw away. He added that fencing alone could not protect the borders and “our borders are protected by our BSF personnel”.
The Home Minister added that the government endeavoured to make the latest technology available to the BSF and also make the lives of BSF personnel posted in remote areas better.
In a veiled political message, the Home Minister said that it was a challenge to deal with infiltration and smuggling without the cooperation and assistance of the local administration.
“A political situation will soon develop where we will get all the desired assistance. Pressure from the people will result in cooperation from the administration,” Mr. Shah added.
This is the first visit by the Union Home Minister after the BJP lost to the Trinamool Congress in the 2021 Assembly poll in West Bengal. Mr. Shah was at the forefront of BJP’s high-pitched election campaign then.
