Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, on Sunday said that the security cover should be given based on threat perception, however, currently it is being given on political basis. Fadnavis added that there are a few people who are given strong security despite of not having any threats.
"I never asked for security even when I was state president. I got it for the first time when I became CM & when I got threats after Yakub Memon's death sentence & other instances. I feel it should be given based on threat perception," Fadnavis said. "Currently, it's being given on political basis. Few people don't have threat perception but are given strong security," he added.
This comes after the Maharashtra government reduced the security cover of Fadnavis and his family, former UP governor Ram Naik and MNS president Raj Thackeray, and withdrawn the security cover of state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.
State BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhye termed the action unfortunate and a "vendetta" of the ruling coalition against his party's leaders. However, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh rejected the opposition BJP's charge and said the security of political leaders was reviewed as per the prevailing threat perception.
As per a government notification issued on January 8, Fadnavis will now get 'Y-plus security with escort', instead of the 'Z-plus' cover. The security of his wife Amruta Fadnavis and daughter Divija has been downgraded from 'Y-plus with escort' to 'X' category.
Former Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik will now get 'Y' cover instead of 'Y-plus'. MNS chief Raj Thackeray's security cover has been downgraded from 'Z' to 'Y plus with escort'. The security covers of BJP leader and former CM Narayan Rane, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil and senior party leader Sudhir Mungantiwar have been withdrawn.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis said that he has no issue with it. "I don't have an issue with it. I feel govt can take any decision," he said.
