New Delhi, Nov 16: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week in Delhi. She will be in the national capital to discuss issues such as dues to the state and increased BSF jurisdiction, a highly-placed source told PTI on Tuesday.
The West Bengal CM is likely to visit the national capital on November 22 and return to Kolkata on November 25, he said."During her three-day stay in New Delhi, she may meet the PM. Banerjee is also likely to hold meetings with leaders of other political parties," the source told PTI.
On asking the reason behind her proposed meeting with Modi, the source said, "The CM will press for her long-standing demand to clear dues of the state. She will also raise her objection to the Centre's decision to increase the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km from the international border."
The Trinamool Congress chief had earlier said that the Centre's move was only meant to "torture common people" and written a letter to Prime Minister Modi raising objections over the issue. PTI SCH ACD ACD
In the notice released in October, the centre extended the jurisdiction of the BSF from 15 to 50 km belt along the border aimed at ensuring "zero tolerance" against terrorism and cross border crimes.
It means the BSF can take action without permission from central or state governments in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam up to 50 km inside the states.
However, the BSF's jurisdiction was reduced to 20 km from 80 km in north-eastern states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. In case of Gujarat, it has been reduced to 50 from 80 km. Whereas in Rajasthan, the area of jurisdiction remains the same at 50 km.
The Centre's decision has been oppose