Maharashtra govt reduces security cover of oppositon leaders, Devendra Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has decided to reduce the security cover provided to former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. As per the new security arrangement, Fadnavis' security has been reduced from Z+ to Y+. A bullet-proof vehicle in Fadnavis' security convoy will also be withdrawn. The security cover of Fadnavis' wife, Amruta, has also been slashed from Y+ to X. Apart from Fadnavis and Raj, security of state BJP president Chandrakant Patil and former chief minister and BJP MP Narayan Rane's Y+ security has also been reduced. The list also includes names of BJP leaders like Praveen Darekar and Prasad Lad among others. For some in the ruling party, the security cover has been reduced while a few others have been given additional security cover. 

Deputy Speaker and NCP leader Narhari Zirwal and the leader of opposition in legislative council, Pravin Darekar, have been give Y security, while deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra, former Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar, Yuva Sena chief Varun Sardesai will enjoy X-category security.State home minister Anil Deshmukh said, "The decision about the change in security was taken by a committee of five top home department officials, based on the threat perception. During the BJP government in the state, the security cover of Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, too, was scaled down. The decision is not political, but based on the threat perception to the leaders."BJP has hit out at the state government, saying the downgrade has been done for vendetta politics. “Security cover to BJP leaders has been reduced due to vendetta politics and to suppress the voice of the Opposition. Senior police officers have given reports against reducing the security cover to our leaders, despite which it has been done. It is just because we have been exposing the state government for its failures on many fronts, including relief to farmers, handling of Covid-19 pandemic,” said BJP leader Ram Kadam.