Elaborate security for second phase polls in eight UP seats tomorrow
The seats going to polls are: Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr (SC), Aligarh and Mathura.
In a major shake-up in providing security to the state minister, the Centre on Thursday toned down mayor and state minister for environment and fire brigade Sovan Chatterjee’s security to Z category thus stripping off his “Z plus category security” he was having till date.
The mayor, however downplayed the exercise as “no big deal”. “Those who have provided me with the security they can tell why the security has been withdrawn,” said Mr Chatterjee. “I was not aware why I was given Zplus security and now why it has been withdrawn?”, he added.
He also said the number of police in his security apparatus has also been reduced. When asked whether there is any chance of his removal from Mayor’s post, he ducked the question and said, “I do politics with the people. The people are with me, so I’m not afraid of any attack.
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I have seen many bloodsheds and movements including Singur and Nandigram.” Mayor, was virtually in a state of tears and said the condition he was in now should not come to others. “ I am staying in a separate accommodation in South Kolkata leaving my residence.
Even my worst enemies and staunch critic should not face such a situation.” The chief minister, later said “Sovan from now on will get Z category security.
The Centre has in a decision on Thursday withdrawn his pilot car and his bulletproof car reducing him to a candidate of Z category. Jt Commissioner of Police ( Headquarters) Supratim Sakar said, “It is the Directorate of security who decides on the security level accorded to individuals.
He periodically evaluates so depending on threat perception, sometimes it gets increased or decreased. It was he who decided to downgrade the mayor’s security from Z plus to Z category”. Meanwhile, while mayor’s security has been downgraded to Z. “Security of two ministers Firhad Hakim and Arup Biswas was upgraded from Y to Z”, AC Control room Shankar Chatterjee said.
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