Enhanced security for ministers, all MLAs

KOLKATA: The state has decided to enhance

security cover

for MLAs following the murder of Krishnagunge MLA Satyajit Biswas on Saturday. The SPs were asked to provide necessary

security

to all MLAs, including those from the opposition.


The security cover for some ministers was also enhanced to ‘Z’ category. A senior official said food minister Jyotipriya Mullick’s security was increased from ‘Y’ to ‘Z’ category from Monday. North Bengal development minister Rabindranath Ghosh and higher education minister Partha Chatterjee are also likely to get added security cover. . A senior police officer said that the threat perception of the ministers, who would be key campaigners, were being considered specially.

Already, some of the state ministers like Aroop Biswas and Firhad Hakim are getting ‘Z’ category security. Earlier, Zplus category security was enjoyed by Kolkata’s mayor Sovan Chatterjee, but it was withdrawn after he resigned as the mayor. The director of security usually reviews the security status of VVIPs and decides on the security cover for the ministers.

Ahead of the polls, the state government has decided to provide security cover even for the opposition MLAs. After the Nadia murder, assembly speaker Biman Banerjee had wanted proper security for the MLAs, so that such incidents do not recur. Now, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh enjoys ‘Y’ category security and has state police providing him security.

CPM MLA Sujan Chakraborty said:“I think the security cover should be based on threat perception and not political consideration.”

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