Bhuj, May 29 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said more than 2,000 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel had made the “supreme sacrifice” in the line of duty over the past six decades, as he praised the force for guarding some of India’s most difficult frontiers under extreme weather and terrain conditions.

Addressing BSF jawans during an interaction at Border Outpost G-7 in Bhuj, Shah said the force had successfully protected both the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders since its establishment in 1965-66.

“From its establishment till now, for 60 years, from 1966 to 2026, the BSF has shouldered the responsibility of securing two of the most difficult borders.. one with Pakistan and the other with Bangladesh,” Shah said.

He said BSF personnel serve in conditions ranging from “minus 45 degrees to plus 45 degrees”, including the marshlands of Sir Creek and Harami Nala in Gujarat, the deserts of Rajasthan, the snowy regions of Kashmir and the forested terrain of the Northeast and Sundarbans.

“Somewhere there is the inaccessible desert of Kutch, the marshy land of Sir Creek and Harami Nala, somewhere in the sand dunes of Rajasthan you have to work in temperatures touching 50 degrees,” he said.

Referring to a recent visit to the Rajasthan border, Shah said temperatures at the Sanchu border post had reached 46 degrees when he arrived, while desert temperatures often crossed 50 degrees.

He said the BSF had performed its role as the country’s “First Line of Defence” with distinction across all terrains for six decades. “And for this, 2,000 jawans have made the supreme sacrifice,” Shah said.

The Home Minister said the people of the country held “deep gratitude, respect and reverence” for the force and slept peacefully because of the work carried out by BSF personnel.

Shah also referred to a public outreach centre established in Banaskantha district of Gujarat to familiarise civilians with the work of the BSF.

He said the centre, built at a cost of around Rs 200 crore, was receiving more than 2.5 lakh visitors every month.

According to Shah, many visitors, including mothers, had written in feedback forms expressing pride in the possibility of their children joining the BSF in future because of the force’s service to the country.

The Home Minister was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, IB Director Tapan Kumar Deka and BSF Director General Praveen Kumar during the visit.

–IANS

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