Certain elements who do not want to see peace in India are using its open borders, especially that with Nepal, to enter the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at an event of border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Thursday.

Addressing the troops and officers of the force during their 56th Raising Day celebrations, Mr Shah said in the last one year 54 “infiltrators”, including two Pakistanis, have been arrested at this border.

These infiltrators were from 24 countries apart from Pakistan, he said.

The SSB is tasked at guarding the 1,751-km long frontier with Nepal and Bhutan.

Mr Shah said India enjoys very “cordial and friendly” relations with Nepal and Bhutan, and the border force has ensured that people from these nations are treated with “respect” at these fronts.

“But, as travelling across the globe has become easier, elements from those countries who do not want peace in India have been using the Nepal border to infiltrate into the country,” the home minister said.

Mr Shah added the force has seized “banned items” worth over Rs 380 crore at these borders over the last one year that includes Rs 166 crore worth of narcotics.

He said the country’s 130 crore people are sleeping peacefully because all the border guarding forces like SSB are protecting the country and serving in hostile environment where temperatures range from minus 46 degrees Celsius to 47 degrees Celsius.

Mr Shah promised to the troops that the Narendra Modi government will make sure within one to one-and-half years that jawans of all border guarding forces get to spend at least 100 days with their children, families and parents.

“This is a difficult job but as the Modi government has accomplished other difficult targets, this will be done too,” he said at an SSB camp in south Delhi.

He added that the force will get an additional manpower of 12,055 personnel by the end of next year.

Before delivering his speech, the home minister reviewed the parade and presented medals and decorations to the officers of the about 80,000 personnel strong force.

Ambassadors of Nepal and Bhutan to India, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and chiefs of various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and central police organisations attended the event.

The SSB was raised in the aftermath of the 1962 Chinese aggression.