Rajnath asks BSF to check cattle smuggling into B'desh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh today asked the BSF jawans deployed along the Indo-Bangla border to put a complete halt to the smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh.

"I am told prices of beef in Bangladesh has gone up 30 per cent recently due to heightened vigil by BSF against cattle smuggling. You further intensify your vigil so that the cattle smuggling stops completely," he said addressing jawans of BSF at this Border Out Post.

According to official statistics around 17 lakh cattle were smuggled to Bangladesh from India in 2014. The Home Minister, however, said India has a very cordial relations with Bangladesh and wants to improve it further.

Later talking to reporters, the Home Minister said government had set up a committee a few months ago to check smuggling of cattle, drugs and fake Indian currency notes (FICN).

The committee has almost completed its work and will submit its report in the next 15-20 days on how to check smuggling of cattle, drugs and FICN so that we can be more successful in ensuring security at the border,' he said.

Singh said he would speak to chief ministers of those states from which the cattle are being transported to border for smuggling into Bangladesh.

Referring to frequent attacks on BSF jawans by Bangladeshi smugglers, the Home Minister asked the troops deployed in this South Bengal frontier to do their best to foil such attacks and promised that he would stand by them in any circumstances.

"As a Chief Minister, I had taken many welfare initiatives for the UP Police and I would do the same for you too," he said.

Dismissing suggestions that BSF jawans have been asked to maintain restraint when attacked by elements from Bangladesh, the Home Minister said BSF jawans have full right to their self-defence.

Asked about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation about his visit to West Bengal being political, Singh parried the question by saying that she was a good friend and he respected her a lot.